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The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI redefines the papacy. The last time a Pope stood down

was during a medieval war between branches of the church. Now if there's any war, it's

a power struggle inside the Vatican. At the same time the role of the Roman Catholic

Church in the world is being reshaped under pressure from a flow of ideas and a spirit

of openness. No previous Pope had to deal with. I'm Dan Damon. I'm here in St Peter's Square

in the Vatican City and it is a wonderful Roman day. The sky is a perfect blue from a deep

azure down to a pale watery colour behind the dome of St Peter's. Framed with pale winter

sunshine, it is really lovely here in this special programme on the BBC World Service,

the next Pope will assess the state of the church that influences the daily lives of

more than a billion people. The Pope's resignation, because he felt no longer up to the job, surely

exposes the difficulties of managing an institution as large and hierarchical as the Catholic Church

in the age of global information and money flows. Here's what the Pope said about that in

his resignation speech.

In the country, some hope, one second, we don't feel spiritual, we're not just doing it,

we're doing it, we're doing it, we're doing it, we're doing it, we're doing it.

After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that

my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of

the Petrine Ministry. I am well aware that this ministry, due to its essential spiritual

nature, must be carried out not only with words and deeds, but no less with prayer and

suffering. However, in today's world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by

...