Pope to step down 28 February per Italian news and BBC

[TorchTheWitch]

174. the Pope isn't a monarch

A monarch is an absolute sovereign of a state through heredity. Popes are voted into office by the cardinals, not through birthright... how could they through birthright what all members of the hierarchy aren't permitted to marry and not allowed legitimate issue?.

The office of Pope is a lifetime appointment because of the belief the church itself has fostered since its inception that the Pope is so holy they are the closest thing to God on earth thereby being nearly divine, and when one is magically "recognized" (ie, voted in by the cardinals) with this special holiness it can't be taken back thereby the church having to admit that the pope was NOT so magically holy after all.

This is why it is so astounding that Ratz is resigning especially with such a lame excuse as age and ill health and why it hasn't been done for hundreds and hundreds of years... it shakes the church to its foundation the belief that the church itself has always fostered of the near divinity of the Pope, and for centuries (once Protestantism got a foothold in Europe) that Catholics were maligned because of their apparent allegiance to the Pope was more than to the Christian faith.