Earlier today Pope Benedict XVI announced his intention to resign from the papacy of the Roman Catholic Church effective the end of this month. This happens very rarely, and you can read more about this type of event here:
Papal resignation
The last time a pope resigned was in 1415, when Gregory XII stepped down to help resolve the Western Schism. Schisms are a rare thing these days, within the church at least, but it's possible that Benedict XVI's resignation will set a precedent for future popes of departing the office before death for health reasons. Whatever the implications, today's announcement is certainly a rarity in the church, and it will lead to only the second papal election in my lifetime. It'll be interesting to see what happens now.
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