Pope Benedict XVI Final Public Address At Vatican (VIDEO)
Pope Benedict XVI delivered a 17-minute sermon in his final public address in St. Peter’s Square, telling thousands who gathered in Vatican City, “I ask each of you to pray for me.”
In the last general audience of his pontificate, Benedict XVI thanked his collaborators in the Roman Curia, the faithful and people from different social and political spheres around the world for their closeness and affection in recent weeks. Addressing the tens of thousands who rallied around him Wednesday morning, he once again explained the reasons for his decision to resign. In recent months, he said, “I had felt my strength decline, and I earnestly asked God in prayer to enlighten me and help me make the right decision not for my sake, but for the good of the Church. I have taken this step in full awareness of its gravity and also its novelty, but with a deep peace of mind.”
VIDEO: This speech has been translated into English.