People stand on St Peter's square at the Vatican minutes after it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013 announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

A nun takes pictures on St Peter's square at the Vatican minutes after it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 11, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013 announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI addressing an ordinary consistorio at The Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013 announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi takes place for a press conference after the announce of the resignation of the pontif on February 11, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi takes place for a press conference after the announce of the resignation of the pontif on February 11, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi reacts during a press conference after the announce of the resignation of the pontif on February 11, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi speaks during a press conference after the announce of the resignation of the pontif on February 11, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi reads a book written by the pontif during a press conference after the announce of the resignation of the pontif on February 11, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI leaving an ordinary consistorio at The Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013 announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI addressing an ordinary consistory at The Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI on February 11, 2013 announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI (C-back) addressing an ordinary consistory at The Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI addressing an ordinary consistory at The Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI (C) blessing cardinals during an ordinary consistory at The Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI addressing an ordinary consistory at the Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI (R) greeting cardinal Angelo Sodano during an ordinary consistory at the Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows cardinal Angelo Sodano (R-C) and cardinals talking during an ordinary consistory at the Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced during the meeting that he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows cardinal Angelo Sodano (C) and cardinals talking during an ordinary consistory at the Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced during the meeting that he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI addressing an ordinary consistory at the Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

This handout picture released by the Vatican Press Office on February 11, 2013 shows Pope Benedict XVI (C) addressing an ordinary consistory at the Vatican the same day. Pope Benedict XVI announced he will resign on February 28, a Vatican spokesman told AFP, which will make him the first pope to do so in centuries. AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO/OSSERVATORE ROMANO"

Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi speaks during a press conference after the announce of the resignation of the pontif on February 11, 2013 at the Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO / ANDREAS SOLARO