Pope Benedict XVI announced he will step down at the end of the month. 

“In today’s world, subject to so many rapid changes and shaken by questions of deep relevance for the life of faith, in order to govern the bark of St. Peter and proclaim the gospel, both 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 said.

"He's a very brilliant pope and not only is he brilliant, but very practical, and he realizes that a younger person who's healthier or stronger would carry on better than he,” said Bishop Ricardo Ramirez of Las Cruces. 

In a statement to cardinals, the pope said: "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."

In 2011, the pope had said he would not hesitate to voluntarily resign if he felt he was no longer "physically, psychologically, and spiritually" able to run the Catholic Church.

Pope Benedict, born Joseph Ratzinger, is the 265th pope to serve the Catholic Church.

Ratzinger was born in Bavaria, on April 16, 1927.

In 1977, he was named the Archbishop of Munich and Freising.

He was then elevated to cardinalby Pope Paul VI that same year.

In 2002, Ratzinger was elected the Dean of the College of Cardinals.

On April 19, 2005, Cardinal Ratzinger was elected pope.  He chose the name of Pope Benedict XVI.

On Feb.28,Pope Benedict will be the first pope to resign from office since the middle ages. The last pope to do so was Pope Gregory XII, in 1415.

The Vatican is expected to hold a conclave to elect a new pope by mid-March, since the traditional mourning time that would follow the death of a pope does not need to be observed.

Analysts say there are several papal contenders, but no obvious front-runner.