VATICAN CITY, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Pope Benedict XVI will be called "pope emeritus" or "Roman pontiff emeritus" after he steps down as the head of the Catholic Church on Thursday, Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said Tuesday.
It will still be possible to address Benedict as "Your Holiness," Lombardi added. The 85-year-old German would continue to wear the "simple, white" papal cassock and use shoes given to him by Mexican cobblers during a visit last year, he said.
"The pope really liked the gift of the shoes made for him by the artisans of Leon, Mexico, and he will continue to use them," Lombardi said.
The spokesman told local media that Benedict's ring of office as pope will be destroyed, according to Vatican tradition.
And Benedict's papers have been split between documents regarding the government of the Church, "which will go to the competent archives", but he will keep his personal notes, Lombardi added.
|
