B16 Returns

All of 80 days since Joseph Ratzinger turned the topmost reality of a 1.1 billion-member church on its head, later today brings even more history as the now Pope-emeritus Benedict XVI returns to the Vatican to take up residence in his new home at a converted monastery in the city-state's gardens.

More than seven centuries since the a freely-willed papal resignation last took place, never before has a Roman pontiff lived alongside his predecessor. And keeping with the spirit of warm fraternity evident from the first moments following his election, the Pope is said to be "very likely" to be present to welcome His Fluffiness on B16's arrival at the Vatican heliport after a two-month respite at his beloved Castel Gandolfo while the new residence was being prepared.

Though no firm coverage plans for the moment have emerged, the retired Pope's return promises to make for some more epic images. With an eye to it, though, it seems worthwhile to recall the key moments of these last incredible weeks.

First, Benedict's announcement of his resignation on 11 February (English)...



The then-Pope's final exit from St Peter's two days later...



B16's departure from the Vatican on his resignation day, 28 February...



...followed shortly thereafter by his final appearance as pontiff on arriving at Castel (English)...



...and, of course, his last public appearance since – the historic meeting with Pope Francis at the papal "Camp David" on 23 March:



Having visibly weakened in the period between his resignation and the memorable Saturday afternoon with his successor, an op close to the ex-Pope has said that – much like many other new retirees, perhaps all the more given his age and the intensity of his work into his ninth decade – Benedict "has been depressed" since leaving office, as one of his most loyal disciples (his biographer Peter Seewald) revealed that Ratzinger had gone blind in one eye. Yet as one prelate who met privately with the then-pontiff shortly before the epochal announcement remarked, "he never once let on" about the worst of his difficulties.

Given the timing and leitmotif of today's events, as a bonus in light of yesterday's second anniversary of Benedict's beatification of John Paul II, here's that moment, too....



And in the end, whether he chooses to call himself Linus, Sixtus, Julius, Adrian, Clement, Pius, John, Paul, John Paul, Benedict... or now – for the first time – Francis, what he is is always the same: that is, Peter – that is, the rock on which the Master continues to build, shape and grow His Church.



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