Rome - This morning Pope Benedict announced his intention to resign. The Vatican Radio confirmed the news.

Citing old age and lack of the necessary strenght, Benedict 16th will resign on February 28th. The event is extremely rare in the history of the Vatican. Of the 264 popes that followed Saint Peter as head of the Roman church, only five times there have been a resignation, the last in 1415.

The Code of Canon Law states: "If it happens that the Roman Pontiff resigns his office, it is required for validity that the resignation is made freely and properly manifested but not that it is accepted by anyone." 

Cardinal Ratzinger became pope on 19th April 2005. After he will leave the papacy a conclave will be called and cardinals will come to Rome from every part of the world to elect the new pope. They will gather in the Sistine Chapel and remain there untile they are able to choose the new Pontiff.

Although during the past months many rumors circulated in Rome about this possibility, the official announcement took most of the public by surprise.