Tremaine So­ca Warn­er

Pope Bene­dict XVI steps down to­day.And while no ma­jor events are sched­uled to take place to­day in T&T, the lo­cal RC Arch­dio­cese will host a spe­cial Mass this week­end in recog­ni­tion of the oc­ca­sion. The res­ig­na­tion of a pope last took place more than 600 years ago.

In a brief tele­phone in­ter­view with the T&T Guardian yes­ter­day, ed­i­tor of the Catholic News June John­ston said the Pope made his fi­nal gen­er­al ap­pear­ance yes­ter­day in St Pe­ter's Square in the Vat­i­can, where he bade farewell to more than 35,000 gath­ered to see him for the last time as Pope. John­ston said while she was not aware of any lo­cal events to­day to mark Bene­dict's de­par­ture, there would be a spe­cial mass of thanks­giv­ing for him on Sat­ur­day at the Pro Cathe­dral in San Fer­nan­do.

Vic­ar for the cler­gy Fr Clyde Har­vey con­firmed the Mass would take place on Sat­ur­day at 7 pm.He said the Mass would be held "in thanks­giv­ing for the min­istry of Bene­dict XVI, as well as to ask God to bless and guide the con­clave as it elects the new pope."He said Arch­bish­op of Port-of-Spain Joseph Har­ris would pre­side at the Mass and apos­tolic nun­cio for the re­gion, Arch­bish­op Nico­la Gi­ra­soli, would al­so serve as cel­e­brant.

Har­ris urged Ro­man Catholics through­out T&T to say the spe­cial prayers print­ed at the back of last Sun­day's Catholic News. He said they were be­ing asked to say these prayers un­til a new pope is elect­ed. The con­clave to choose Bene­dict's suc­ces­sor is ex­pect­ed to meet lat­er this month.Bene­dict XVI, the for­mer Car­di­nal Joseph Ratzinger, will keep his pa­pal name and will be known as Pope Emer­i­tus.