Pope Benedict XVI Holds Final General Audience

The%20faithful%20fill%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20ahead%20of%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20final%20general%20audience%20before%20his%20retirement%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Peter%20Macdiarmid%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Peter%20Macdiarmid%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20in%20the%20Popemobile%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Peter%20Macdiarmid%2FGetty%20Images%29

%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20gestures%20to%20the%20crowd%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Oli%20Scarff%2FGetty%20Images%29

The%20faithful%20fill%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20as%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20attends%20his%20last%20public%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Peter%20Macdiarmid%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20travels%20through%20the%20crowd%20in%20the%20popemobile%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Carsten%20Koall%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20travels%20through%20the%20crowd%20in%20the%20popemobile%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Carsten%20Koall%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20for%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20for%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20leaves%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20at%20the%20end%20of%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EVATICAN%20CITY%2C%20VATICAN%20%26%238211%3B%20FEBRUARY%2027%3A%20%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20leaves%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20at%20the%20end%20of%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20The%20Pontiff%20attended%20his%20last%20weekly%20public%20audience%20before%20stepping%20down%20tomorrow.%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20has%20been%20the%20leader%20of%20the%20Catholic%20Church%20for%20eight%20years%20and%20is%20the%20first%20Pope%20to%20retire%20since%201415.%20He%20cites%20ailing%20health%20as%20his%20reason%20for%20retirement%20and%20will%20spend%20the%20rest%20of%20his%20life%20in%20solitude%20away%20from%20public%20engagements.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20nun%20smiles%20as%20she%20attends%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20final%20general%20audience%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20before%20his%20retirement%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Christopher%20Furlong%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20kisses%20a%20child%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20for%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Members%20of%20the%20Swiss%20Guard%20patrol%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20before%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20final%20weekly%20public%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Oli%20Scarff%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20for%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20Brazillian%20monk%20waves%20a%20flag%20as%20he%20attends%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20final%20general%20audience%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20before%20his%20retirement%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Christopher%20Furlong%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20travels%20in%20the%20Popemobile%20through%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Oli%20Scarff%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20for%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20for%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20waves%20to%20the%20faithful%20gathered%20in%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20during%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20kisses%20a%20child%20lifted%20up%20by%20the%20Pontiff%26%238217%3Bs%20personal%20secretary%20Georg%20Ganswein%2C%20as%20he%20leaves%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20at%20the%20end%20of%20his%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

A%20pilgrim%20attends%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20final%20general%20audience%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20before%20his%20retirement%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Christopher%20Furlong%2FGetty%20Images%29

Archbishop%20of%20New%20York%20cardinal%20Timothy%20Dolan%20%28C%29%20greets%20his%20colleagues%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20before%20the%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Archbishop%20of%20New%20York%20cardinal%20Timothy%20Dolan%20%28R%29%20greets%20his%20colleagues%20as%20he%20arrives%20in%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20before%20the%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Archbishop%20of%20New%20York%20cardinal%20Timothy%20Dolan%20%28R%29%20greets%20an%20American%20boy%20as%20he%20leaves%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20at%20the%20end%20of%20the%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20%20final%20general%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Cardinals%20sit%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20as%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20delivers%20his%20final%20weekly%20public%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%28Photo%20by%20Oli%20Scarff%2FGetty%20Images%29%3Cbr%20%2F%3EVATICAN%20CITY%2C%20VATICAN%20%26%238211%3B%20FEBRUARY%2027%3A%20%20Cardinals%20sit%20in%20St%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20as%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20delivers%20his%20final%20weekly%20public%20audience%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20The%20Pontiff%20has%20attended%20his%20last%20weekly%20public%20audience%20before%20stepping%20down%20tomorrow.%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%20has%20been%20the%20leader%20of%20the%20Catholic%20Church%20for%20eight%20years%20and%20is%20the%20first%20Pope%20to%20retire%20since%201415.%20He%20cites%20ailing%20health%20as%20his%20reason%20for%20retirement%20and%20will%20spend%20the%20rest%20of%20his%20life%20in%20solitude%20away%20from%20public%20engagements.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Oli%20Scarff%2FGetty%20Images%29

Archbishop%20of%20Washington%20cardinal%20Donald%20Wuerl%20%28C%29%20attends%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20%20final%20general%20audience%20in%20%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29

Cardinals%20attend%20Pope%20Benedict%20XVI%26%238217%3Bs%20final%20general%20audience%20in%20%20St.%20Peter%26%238217%3Bs%20Square%20on%20February%2027%2C%202013%20in%20Vatican%20City%2C%20Vatican.%20%20%20%28Photo%20by%20Franco%20Origlia%2FGetty%20Images%29