Pope Benedict XVI Begins Last Day as Head Of The Catholic Church

Pope Benedict XVI begins his last day as the head of the Catholic Church after which he will be flown in a helicopter to the papal retreat south of Rome where he will spend the next two months.

At 8 P.M. local time Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI's position as the head of the Catholic Church will officially come to an end. After an emotional last audience address at St. Peter's Square in Rome Wednesday, the Pope has reserved Thursday to bid goodbye to all the cardinals before he is taken by helicopter at 5 P.M. to Castel Gandolfo, the papal retreat south of Rome where he will spend the next two months. After 8 P.M. today, the guards whose duty is to protect the reigning Pope, will officially be over.

During his last address to pilgrims, the Pope said that during his tenure as the Pope he'd witnessed moments of light and joy as well as dark moments.

"There have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us ... and the Lord seemed to sleep," he said. "I have felt like St Peter with the spostles in the boat on the Sea of Galilee: the Lord has given us many days of sunshine and gentle breeze, days in which the catch has been abundant; [then] there have been times when the seas were rough and the wind against us ... and the Lord seemed to be sleeping."

After his retirement, Benedict will still be addressed as "Your Holiness Benedict XVI" but his title will be either Emeritus Pope or Emeritus Roman Pontiff. He will no longer wear his famous red shoes but will continue to don a cassock in the traditional papal color of white.