Pope busy packing as Vatican reveals his retirement title

Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said that the Pope himself made the decisions.

The Pope’s title has been a major question ever since he stunned the world and announced he would resign.

While he will no longer wear his trademark red shoes, Benedict has taken a liking to a pair of hand-crafted brown loafers made for him in Mexico and presented to him during his 2012 visit. He will wear them in retirement.

He will be called “Your Holiness Benedict XVI” and either emeritus pope or emeritus Roman pontiff, the Rev Lombardi said.

He also elaborated on the College of Cardinals meetings that will take place after the papacy becomes vacant tomorrow – crucial gatherings in which cardinals will discuss the problems facing the church and set a date for the start of the conclave to elect the successor.

The first meeting is not now expected until Monday since the official convocation to cardinals to come to Rome will only go out on Friday.

In all 115 cardinals under the age of 80 are expected in Rome for the conclave to vote on who should become the next Pope; two other eligible cardinals have already said they are not coming, one from Britain and another from Indonesia. Cardinals who are 80 and older can join the College meetings but cannot vote.

Benedict has given the cardinals the go-ahead to move up the start date of the conclave. But the cardinals will not actually set a date until they begin meeting officially on Monday.

Yesterday the Pope was packing, arranging for documents to be sent to the various archives at the Vatican and separating out his personal papers.

Today he will hold his final public general audience in St Peter’s Square at which 50,000 tickets have already been requested.

On Thursday, the Pope meets his cardinals in the morning and then flies by helicopter to Castel Gandolfo, the papal residence south of Rome. He will greet parishioners there – his final public act as pope.

At 8pm the Swiss Guards standing outside the doors of the palazzo at Castel Gandolfo will go inside, their service protecting the head of the Catholic Church now finished.