A LIST OF POPES WHO RESIGNED:

Determining just which ppes h!"e resigne# is !ctu!$$% #i&&icu$t 'ec!use the recr#s & church
histr% !re in such #is!rr!% &r s m!n% centuries( Sme p$!ce the num'er !s high !s )*+ sme !s
$w !s &ur , it !$$ #epen#s upn hw ne #e&ines ! -resign!tin. !n# hw the #!t! is
interprete#(
Pnti!n /01*20134 w!s the &irst ppe t resign !n# his c!se is c$e!r( Pnti!n h!# the mis&rtune &
'eing c!ught up in the se"ere persecutin & 5hristi!ns un#er emperr 6!7iminus Thr!7 !n# w!s
sent t the mines n S!r#in!+ ! p$!ce &rm which &ew e"i#ent$% m!n!ge# t return !$i"e( Pnti!n
8new th!t he wu$# !$mst cert!in$% #ie n S!r#in! !n# #i#n9t w!nt there t 'e ! $ng2term
pwer "!cuum in the church+ s he #eci#e# th!t !'#ic!tin wu$# 'e the 'est curse & !ctin(
Pnti!n9s !'#ic!tin !$s gi"es us the &irst cert!in #!te in the histr% & p!p!c%: Septem'er 0:+
013(
6!rce$$inus /0;< 2 1*=4 #i#n>t !ctu!$$% resign+ 'ut his !ctins pr'!'$% c!use# him t ce!se
'eing ppe( During the Dic$eti!n persecutins & 1*1+ 6!rce$$inus h!n#e# "er scriptures t
Rm!n !uthrities !n# 'urne# incense t the p!g!n g#s( Such !ctins wu$# h!"e #is?u!$i&ie#
him &rm the priesth# !n#+ there&re+ the p!p!c%( His n!me w!s 8ept && the &&ici!$ $ist &
ppes &r ! whi$e+ 'ut t#!% he is there !n# his p!p!c% is m!r8e# !s en#ing with his #e!th(
Si$"erius /31< 2 31@4+ sn & Ppe Hrmis#!s+ w!s #epse# !n# e7i$e# '% empress The#r! &
5nst!ntinp$e+ 'rught '!c8 '% emperr Austini!n t st!n# tri!$+ cn"icte#+ !n# &rce# '% his
successr Ppe Bigi$ius t !'#ic!te !g!in( He st!r"e# t #e!th n !n is$!n# in the Gu$& & G!et!(
Ahn CBIII /)**1 2 )**;4 #i#n>t # much th!t sur"i"e# in the recr#s+ 'ut it is 'e$ie"e# th!t he
resigne# !n# $i"e# ut the $!st %e!rs & his $i&e in ! mn!ster%(
Dene#ict IC e!si$% h!# the mst cn&using pnti&ic!te in histr%( He ser"e# !s ppe three times:
he w!s e$ecte#+ ejecte#+ returne#+ !'#ic!te#+ #epse#+ returne# !g!in+ ejecte# !g!in+ !n#
e"entu!$$% e7cmmunic!te#( Presum!'$% !t $e!st ne & his resign!tins m!% h!"e 'een
c!nnic!$$% "!$i#+ pssi'$% e"en tw(
5e$estine B /)0;=4 trie# t ru$e whi$e un#er the cntr$ & 5h!r$es II & Sici$%+ smething he
?uic8$% #etermine# wu$#n>t 'e pssi'$e( R!ther th!n ser"e !s $itt$e mre th!n ! &igurehe!# &r
secu$!r pwers+ he simp$% !'#ic!te# the p!p!$ &&ice !&ter n$% 3 mnths( This resign!tin he$pe#
est!'$ish !s ! m!tter & church $!w th!t ! ppe m!% &ree$% resign his &&ice(
Gregr% CII /)=*< 2 )=)@4 w!s !nther ppe wh resigne# &r the gre!ter g# & the church( He
reigne# #uring the Western Schism !n# !t the time there were tw ther ri"!$s c$!iming the
p!p!c%+ 'th with genuine supprt !mng "!rius churches !n# secu$!r pwers( He !gree# t
!'i#e '% the #ecisin & the 5unci$ & 5nst!nce with just ne cn#itin: th!t he 'e permitte# t
&&ici!$$% cn"ene it( This cn#itin w!s gr!nte#+ thus est!'$ishing the "!$i#it% t his c$!im t the
p!p!c%+ !n# he resigne# s th!t the cunci$ cu$# e$ect 6!rtin B !s his successr( Gregr% w!s
the $!st ppe t resign his &&ice unti$ t#!%E
Dene#ict CBI /0**320*)14 #ue t he!$th re!sns !n# $# !ge( I h!"e cn"8e# %u t this
5nsistr%+ nt n$% &r the three c!nniF!tins+ 'ut !$s t cmmunic!te t %u ! #ecisin &
gre!t imprt!nce &r the $i&e & the 5hurch( A&ter h!"ing repe!te#$% e7!mine# m% cnscience
'e&re G#+ I h!"e cme t the cert!int% th!t m% strengths+ #ue t !n !#"!nce# !ge+ !re n $nger
suite# t !n !#e?u!te e7ercise & the Petrine ministr%( I !m we$$ !w!re th!t this ministr%+ #ue t
its essenti!$ spiritu!$ n!ture+ must 'e c!rrie# ut nt n$% with wr#s !n# #ee#s+ 'ut n $ess with
pr!%er !n# su&&ering( Hwe"er+ in t#!%>s wr$#+ su'ject t s m!n% r!pi# ch!nges !n# sh!8en '%
?uestins & #eep re$e"!nce &r the $i&e & &!ith+ in r#er t g"ern the '!r8 & S!int Peter !n#
prc$!im the Gspe$+ 'th strength & min# !n# '#% !re necess!r%+ strength which in the $!st
&ew mnths+ h!s #eterir!te# in me t the e7tent th!t I h!"e h!# t recgniFe m% inc!p!cit% t
!#e?u!te$% &u$&i$$ the ministr% entruste# t me( Fr this re!sn+ !n# we$$ !w!re & the seriusness
& this !ct+ with &u$$ &ree#m I #ec$!re th!t I renunce the ministr% & Dishp & Rme+ Successr
& S!int Peter+ entruste# t me '% the 5!r#in!$s n ); Apri$ 0**3+ in such ! w!%+ th!t !s &rm 0:
Fe'ru!r% 0*)1+ !t 0*:** hurs+ the See & Rme+ the See & S!int Peter+ wi$$ 'e "!c!nt !n# !
5nc$!"e t e$ect the new Supreme Pnti&& wi$$ h!"e t 'e cn"8e# '% thse whse cmpetence
it is(
De!r Drthers+ I th!n8 %u mst sincere$% &r !$$ the $"e !n# wr8 with which %u h!"e
supprte# me in m% ministr% !n# I !s8 p!r#n &r !$$ m% #e&ects( An# nw+ $et us entrust the
H$% 5hurch t the c!re & Our Supreme P!str+ Our Lr# Aesus 5hrist+ !n# imp$re his h$%
6ther 6!r%+ s th!t she m!% !ssist the 5!r#in!$ F!thers with her m!tern!$ s$icitu#e+ in e$ecting
! new Supreme Pnti&&( With reg!r# t m%se$&+ I wish t !$s #e"te#$% ser"e the H$% 5hurch &
G# in the &uture thrugh ! $i&e #e#ic!te# t pr!%er(
Frm the B!tic!n+ )* Fe'ru!r% 0*)1
DENEDI5TGS PP CBI