At the end of this month. The 28th. http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/11/world/europe/pope-benedict-resignation/index.html Last one to resign was in 1415. So this is pretty huge news. Especially for us Catholics.
Its really only big news for Catholics. I mean the last time it happened was 600 years ago yes, but it happened a lot more frequently back then as well. A new Pope will come in and everything will be good again. Besides, the guy was getting old. He needed to retire. Yeah, they are aloud to only under one condition, if they are not being told to. If someone is bribing them or blackmailing them, threatening them, you name it; if it is someones doing to get that out, they aren't aloud to.
We were talking about this in Latin today. None of us are Catholic so it doesn't really affect us in any way, but the thought that the last time a Pope resigned was before people knew there was a western world is fascinating.
I was actually very surprised to hear about this. I always thought being a pope meant that you were stuck with it until you die. I had no idea that a pope can resign. The only problem with this is that with lent being so close is it ok for the leader of the church to resign during an important part of the Christian calendar?