Special Edition: Papal Abdication

2/11/2013

At the end of this month, Pope Benedict XVI will become the first pope in nearly 600 years to abdicate the papal seat. In this Special Edition of Footnoting History, we take a look at the colorful history of papal abdication and the precedents for Benedict's resignation.

Pocaster: Nathan

Further Reading

Eamon Duffy. Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes. 3rd ed. Yale, 2006.

Richard McBrien. The Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to Benedict XVI. HarperOne, 2006.

Jon M. Sweeney. The Pope Who Quit: A True Medieval Tale of Mystery, Death, and Salvation. Image Books, 2012.

John O'Malley. A History of the Popes: From Peter to the Present. Sheed & Ward, 2011.

Music: "Evening Melodrama" by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com)

Brian Denton link

2/12/2013 02:50:49 am

The next Pope should be either an African or an American as these regions are where the Catholic Church is the most vibrant. As a New Yorker I am partial seeing Archbishop Timothy Dolan become the next Pope.

Elizabeth

2/12/2013 02:59:32 am

Brian, I definitely think many of us are expecting the pope to be selected from either Africa or the Americas, but I have heard that the European cardinals dominate number-wise. And as a former NYer, I miss Cardinal O'Connor :)

Jim Stephens link

2/12/2013 10:08:57 am

Well done. Thank you for a nice presentation.

Nathan

2/12/2013 11:48:17 am

Thanks, Jim!

Steph

2/18/2013 11:52:20 am

Thank you for the Henry V-Kenneth Branagh comment. Catching up on the podcasts and loving them!

Special Edition: Papal Abdication

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