Rome (CNN) -- Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28, his spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told CNN Monday.
The 85-year-old pope is resigning "because of advanced age," Benedict told the cardinals of the Catholic Church on Monday.
"Strength of mind and body are necessary, strength which in the last few months has deteriorated in me to the extent that I have had to recognize my incapacity to adequately fulfill the ministry entrusted to me," the pope told the cardinals, according to the Vatican.
The last pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415. He did so to end a civil war within the church in which more than one man claimed to be pope.
Benedict, the 265th pope, is the sixth German to serve as pope and the first since the 11th century. He became pope in 2005.
He has led church after the third-longest papacy in church history and during a time in which the church is declining in his native Europe but expanding in Africa and Latin America.
Benedict's time as pope has been marked with a series of scandals and controversies, including hundreds of new allegations of sexual abuse by priests.

Strength of mind and body are necessary

Is your quote Douchebag's quote on music, or do we have an actual poster named Douchebag on Music? And Johnny Dangerously is one of the greatest movies of all time.

Its Douchebag's quote, but I think he was talking about hair bands.

The last pope to resign was Gregory XII in 1415.

Sometimes great people need to make tough decisions.

Morning line, of the three favorites for succession two are African and the third is Canadian.

Figures, wife just gave me a Pope Benedict jersey for Xmas.

"I can't work with these assholes!"

Did he give his 2 weeks?

Isn't that what got the church in trouble to begin with?

Rooney Rule

Isn't that what got the church in trouble to begin with?

If your parents read this board Francis...

The shocking news that Pope Benedict XVI is retiring has raised the issue as to which member of the prestigious College of Cardinals will become the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church. However, given his most recent Super Bowl victory and constant references to his personal relationship with God, the Baltimore Ravens’ Ray Lewis has thrown his hat in the ring to succeed the outgoing Holy Father.

“This job was meant for me! Praise be to God!” said an elated Lewis. “I’m not even Catholic … Hallowed be thy name! But I’m sure that the Cardinals will overlook any sketchy situations I’ve been in over the course of my life. Hallelujah! God is good! God. God. Jesus. God. God!”

When asked of his qualifications, Lewis felt he was fully capable of taking on the job. “Well, I’ve been wearing a lot of purple. And I always have some form of crucifix around my neck. Plus, I’m not opposed to praying in public. And of course, God wants me to do this. Thank you Father! God. God. Jesus. God. Father. God!”

How? Most of that stuff happened at least 20 years before he was around.