It was February 11, 2013, a holiday in the Vatican commemorating the anniversary of the Concordat between the Holy See and the Italian government. On that day, Pope Benedict XVI had convened an ordinary consistory to announce the canonization dates for several blesseds, among them the Mexican  María Guadalupe García Zavala  (Mother Lupita), whose cause was being promoted by Monsignor Óscar Sánchez Barba as postulator.

I had an appointment with him at 12:00 in St. Peter’s Square, right outside the Vatican Press Office. I arrived about 15 minutes early and went into the room, which was almost deserted: only one of the usual attendants was at the entrance. Something seemed off about the atmosphere, so I approached him and asked, “What’s going on here?” The attendant replied, “I don’t know, it seems someone resigned, but I don’t know who.”

Minutes later, I saw the deputy director of the Press Office arrive with a packet of the day’s bulletins. They already contained the Italian translation of the Latin text that the Pope had read during the consistory. In that solemn declaration, before the cardinals and postulators, Benedict XVI announced his decision to resign from the Petrine ministry due to his advanced age (85 years) and the decline in his strength, both physical and spiritual, which prevented him from adequately guiding the Church.

The Pope specified the exact date and time: February 28th at 8:00 PM. He also indicated that he would continue living within the Church, dedicated to prayer for her.

The immediate reaction and shock in the press

I immediately connected with Televisa. It was almost 5:00 a.m. in Mexico, but I went live to Foro TV and read the bulletin. Then I went outside and approached Monsignor Óscar Sánchez Barba, who was as pale as a sheet. Imagine: a Mexican postulator arrives to hear about the canonization of Mother Lupita and is met with a historic announcement, something that hadn’t happened for 600 years (the last voluntary resignation was that of Gregory XII in 1415, under very different circumstances).

Nobody expected it. Although in an interview-book with his biographer Benedict had mentioned that resignation was possible if a pope could not govern, nobody imagined that he would take it at that moment.

The origins of the decision

The Pope’s reflection began a year earlier, during his trip to Mexico in March 2012, to León, Guanajuato. On his last night at the Miraflores residence, Benedict XVI fell while going to the bathroom, suffering a head wound that bled profusely. He didn’t call anyone; the next day, his secretary and security detail found him in bed covered in blood. That incident sparked a profound reflection.

Thinking about World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, he said to himself, “A WYD without a pope is not possible, and I cannot make another transatlantic trip.” Months of meditation, prayer, and silence followed. He did not share his decision until shortly before the announcement; only a few people (such as his secretary) knew in advance.

A pontificate marked by challenges

Benedict XVI cited not only his age, but also the decline in his spiritual strength after difficult years: the Vatileaks leaks scandal (theft of documents by his butler, Paolo Gabriele, a person of utmost trust), which revealed corruption and private Vatican affairs; a feeling of betrayal and isolation; the outbreak of sexual abuse cases in several countries (although they were not his responsibility, they occurred decades earlier); communication errors such as the Regensburg lecture (which strained relations with Islam) or the lifting of excommunications of Lefebvrists without knowing that one denied the Holocaust.

All of this contributed to her feeling unable to continue.

The end of an era and an unprecedented legacy

On February 28, Benedict XVI left the Vatican by helicopter for Castel Gandolfo, flying over Rome in farewell. At 8:00 p.m., from the window overlooking the square, he announced that his ministry was over and that he was retiring to prayer.

Then came the unprecedented: the election of Francis and the meeting between two living popes, something never before seen. Francis visited his predecessor at Castel Gandolfo, marking the beginning of a historic coexistence.

Thirteen years later, that February 11th remains an indelible memory: the day a pope, with humility and courage, paved the way by recognizing his limitations and prioritizing the good of the Church.