The head of the Roman Catholic Church, Benedict XVI, has not resigned voluntarily. The real reason for the early retirement of the Pope is a series of scandals that have occurred in the Vatican recently. In particular, in the middle of December 2012, Benedict XVI received a 200-page report on the blackmail of high officials who had been found guilty of homosexuality.
The document, Italian publications say, contains incriminating evidence against several Vatican cardinals, RBC reports. Moreover, some cardinals are suspected of corruption.
The Vatican has not commented on this information yet. Press Attaché of the Roman Catholic Church, Federico Lombardi, only urged everyone to mind their own business.
Meanwhile, according to unconfirmed reports, the Vatican has already set up a commission under the chairmanship of Spanish Cardinal Julián Heransom to investigate these facts in the Italian media.
However, Benedict XVI does have health problems. Italian journalist and expert on the Vatican, Marco Tosatti, learned that the Pope was suffering from high blood pressure and went nearly blind on one eye. “The Pope suffers from sleep disturbances. He fell off his bed several times during his trips abroad. He walks with a cane at his residence because of the pain in hip and knee joints,” the journalist said.
Benedict XVI announced his decision to resign on February 11 during the Consistory of the canonization of the martyrs of Otranto. The news came as a complete surprise for the Vatican. The last time when it happened was in 1415: Pope Gregory XII resigned from his post not to let the church split.
Benedict XVI will serve before 5 p.m. February 28, when his renunciation takes effect. The Pontiff will hold another public audience on February 27 at St. Peter’s Square. Six weeks later, the Vatican must elect a new pope.
Pravda.ru
