The Pope has taken the world by surprise by announcing that he will resign at the end of this month.
Pope Benedict told the cardinals on Monday at the Consistory in the Vatican that he convoked the meeting not only to vote three canonizations, but also to tell them that he renounces as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours.
The Pope evoked health reasons for his decision.
He said he came to the conclusion that he was no longer strong enough to exercise well his ministry as pope.
Pope Benedict, 85, was elected on April 19, 2005.
On March 1 the conclave of cardinals will be convoked to elect a new pope.
Pope Benedict prepared his resignation by appointing a number of cardinals twice in 2012 to keep the quorum for the election of his successor.
He is not the first successor of Peter to resign from office. The last pope resigned 600 years ago.