The Pope has vowed "unconditional obedience and reverence" to his successor in a farewell to cardinals assembled at the Vatican.
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Benedict the 16th was speaking on his final day as leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics.
At 7pm Irish time, Pope Benedict will make history as the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages.
He’ll leave the Vatican by helicopter this afternoon – and then, tonight, will bless the crowd at the Papal retreat, Castel Gandolfo.
