Pope Announcement Came 'Like a Lightning Bolt from Sky'

Pope surprised Colleagues

In the minutes after Pope Benedict XVI had announced his retirement today, the Council chaos and uncertainty among the employees of the Vatican.

The Pope's announcement came unexpectedly namely, not only the international community but also to the vast majority of his colleagues.

This was confirmed the Pope's press spokesperson Federico Lombardi at a press conference today.

Language Confusion  

Pope Benedict XVI arrived even with the surprising news during a service Monday morning.

- It was the very moment he sat, and the microphone was put in front of him, says Lombardi.

The service was not disclosed, but was transferred within the Vatican. This alerted the Pope's staff and followed the internal TV broadcast on their screens no advance notice was given.

There was   nothing to indicate that something highly unusual was about to happen.

- We could see the transfer directly onto our screens. The Pope read the announcement in Latin, so it was not all that understood immediately what he had actually said, says Lombardi.

 We were taken by surprise

The Pope read the announcement from a sheet.

Angelo Sodano, the premier of the cardinals, got a hug from Pope after expressing regret and surprise of the resignation.

- So his very, very closest associates must have known about it since the announcement was written beforehand, but most of us were taken by surprise, says Lombardi.

- We did not even know that he would come with an important message. It was not advertised internally in advance, he said.

As inquiries began pouring into the Vatican press office, colleagues tried to clarify what Pope Benedict had surprised nearly all to say.

- That's why we could not say much to begin with, says Lombardi.

Cardinal: 

After the pope had spoken announcement of cardinals in the Vatican today, they expressed that the message came surprisingly well on them.

- The message came as a bolt from the sky, said Dean of the College of Cardinals in the Catholic Church, and thus the foremost among the cardinals Angelo Sodano to the Pope after the announcement.

- We want to be near you, Sodano said.

The Pope acknowledged by giving him a hug.

When Pope Benedict XVI yesterday of 28 February, he does something very few popes have done before him. The last time a pope has not left the office until he died, in the early 1400's.