Pope Benedict XVI makes first public appearance since announcing resignation
Pope Benedict XVI arrives for a celebration of Catholic education at St Mary's University College, Twickenham, London Friday Sept. 17, 2010. Pope Benedict XVI is on a four-day visit, the first-ever state visit by a Pope to Britain. (AP …
Posted: 02/13/2013
VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI is telling the faithful in his first public appearance since announcing his resignation that he stepping down for "the good of the church."
Benedict received a lengthy standing ovation when he entered the packed audience hall Wednesday. He was interrupted by applause by the throngs of people, many of whom had tears in their eyes.
At the start of his audience, he repeated in Italian what he had told cardinals Monday in Latin: that he simply didn't have the strength to continue. He said "I did this in full liberty for the good of the church."
He asked the faithful "to continue to pray for the pope and the church."
The Associated Press
PRINTTop Stories
-
Snyder ends trip to push Medicaid bill
Gov. Rick Snyder on Wednesday cut short his trade trip to Israel to return home and lobby reluctant fellow Republicans to expand Medicaid to more Michigan adults, as the clock ticked before lawmakers break for the summer.
-
James Gandolfini dead at 51
James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of a brutal, emotionally delicate mob boss in HBO's "The Sopranos" helped create one of TV's greatest drama series and turned the mobster stereotype on its head, died Wednesday in Italy. He was 51.
-
Kolcraft recalls strollers
Kolcraft is recalling more than 96,000 Jeep Liberty strollers after at least 18 people were injured by tire blowouts, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.
