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Pope's last blessing from window drawing crowd
This recent file picture taken on February 6, 2013 at the Paul VI hall at the Vatican shows the pope arriving. The Vatican spokesman announced that Pope says he will resign on February 28.(Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images)
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Posted: 02/24/2013
Last Updated:
88 days ago
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI has given his pontificate's final Sunday blessing from his studio window to the cheers of tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square.
Benedict says even though he's retiring on Thursday from the papacy, the first pope in 600 years to do so, he's `'not abandoning the church." Instead he says he'll serve the church with the same dedication he has till now, but will do so in a way `'more suitable to my age and my strength." Benedict, 85, will spend his last years in prayer, meditation and seclusion in a monastery on Vatican City's grounds.
He has one more public appearance, at his weekly audience on Wednesday in the square.
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