Pontiff Exit Maximus, Or, It Came With A Pope-Out Window

Pope Benedict "Papa Ratzi" XVI is resigning at the end of the month for health reasons.

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.

There's no crying in baseball, there's no champagne in the green room, and there's no resigning from Pope.  Well, there is, but it's kind of rare, and always political.  Going to be interesting to see where the Catholic Church goes next, but judging by the Cardinals in America, I'm not holding out much hope for a guy who's going to be very progressive, if you catch my drift.