Pope resigning

'Hello, hello, scuse me....(I'm beginning to feel invisible on GN these days - asking questions/making comments and getting ignored). Please does anyone know why there's the smoke signal thing when a new Pope's elected? Yep, I know I can google it but thought it'd be quicker to ask all you very clever GN's for a less complicated answer

This is really interesting; Barrow I love your story and sbagran's answer! It's also good to notice that our different points of view aren't influencing the tone of this post.

Certainly I think that the role of Pope is much more strenuous than it used to be. Until the late 20th century Popes were not flying round the world and could spend most of their time hidden away in the Vatican. An old man could probably fade away quietly with only his closest associates noticing anything wrong. Today it makes sense to stand down and make way for someone younger and fitter. Perhaps it could be one of the African cardinals this time?

Never mind the hats, I bags the red Prada shoes

Great link, bags, many thanks. Very encouraging!

FlicketyB Unfortunately Ronald Reagan failed to do the same thing.

I wondered whether the pope has perhaps had a diagnosis of memory problems.

Do you remember Harold Wilson resigning suddenly like this? He did it because he had begun to have memory problems that he and his wife were aware of, although even his cabinet colleagues did not notice them. He saw a doctor, who diagnosed early onset Alzheimers, or something similar, and he resigned that day. It was years before the general public knew. I can remember being surprised that he did not take on any public roles after his resignation but when we knew the reason, understood why.

Petallus re your question of 13.38, I didn't think Popes were allowed to do that!

Will it be back to black & white puffs of smoke again? I really can't get my head round that smokescreen thing (when a new Pope's elected)

What's he going to do with all his hats?

I bags the big sombrero

Thanks for the link Bags.
Very interesting.

Just seen this elsewhere on the net.

"Please be aware that a new Pope is NOT being selected at Clarence House. The smoke is due to Camilla's lunchtime cigar."

A view of Ratzinger from the National Secular Society

I think it is a courageous decision to take and many people do not recognise that they are, to put it bluntly, past it - while those around them do.
There are some in other areas whom one would wish to see replaced as they are well past their sell-by: Sir Bruce Forsyth to name but one!

Yes PJP was only 58 not 78.
He has not had an easy ride of it either. What with the whistleblowing butler and the court case.
Also he is implicated in the paedophilia cover up. He was the top of the management hierarchy while this was going on.
He gets one, grudging, brownie point from me for his (grudging?) pronouncement that married couples could use condoms to prevent one of them passing AIDS to the other.

The last Pope hung on for far too long, I seem to remember.

He could hardly move, speak, lift his head up, by the time he went.

Did he die on the job?

Sorry - choose!

Perhaps they should chose a younger one next time!

He was the oldest elected pope for absolutely ages.

I always though he was a bit on the old side when he was appointed. Popes are expected to do celebrity world tours these days. Not many people in their 80s are up to that on a prolonged basis. Even our own dear queen delegates some of the international stuff these days. But the pope does not, for obvious reasons, have any acceptable substitutes that he can delegate to.

Oh Barrow I am sure it isn't !!
DH is a Catholic and we were very sad that he wasn't well enough to go to see the Pope when he visited a couple of years ago - despite everything people say about his youth and the Nazi parrty he comes across as a gentle and thoughtful soul with a twinkle in his eye.

I'm not surprised. He hasn't looked all that well for ages.

"After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths due to an advanced age are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," he told the cardinals.

Respect.

There is a suggestion that he might have Parkinsons. I think it is a good thing for him to do if he knows he is not up to the job. I wish more people would follow his lead.

sba I like your style

Sbagran - hadn't thought of it like that - makes me feel better

Barrow - don't look on your experiences as paranoia - look on it as the Priest moved to another Parish because he knew you would take care of the old one and now the Pope feels that with you being received into the Church it is safe for him to leave!!!
I am retiring from my post as Parish secretary at my Church (RC) on 1st March!
My story (and I am sticking to it!) is that Pope Benedict has decided that as I am retiring he can't go on without me