Photos: Benedict's final day as Pope

Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful from a balcony upon arrival in Castel Gandolfo. Once he steps down later in the day, Pope Benedict XVI will begin his retirement in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, a sumptuous villa outside Rome with ornamental gardens, breathtaking views and its own farm. (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks to his cardinals during a farewell ceremony in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will acquire the title 'Pope Emeritus' as he retires. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano / Vatican Pool via Getty Images)

The helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI aboard flies over St Peter's square at the Vatican on in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI boarded a helicopter to fly to the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, where he will stay until his powers formally expire at 1900 GMT. (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks to his cardinals during a farewell ceremony in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will acquire the title 'Pope Emeritus' as he retires. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano / Vatican Pool via Getty Images)

The helicopter with Pope Benedict XVI aboard flies over St Peter's square at the Vatican on in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI boarded a helicopter to fly to the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, where he will stay until his powers formally expire at 1900 GMT. (Photo by ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

The sun shines through clouds over the dome of St Peter's basilica at the Vatican in Rome. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS,GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks to his cardinals during a farewell ceremony in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will acquire the title 'Pope Emeritus' as he retires. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano / Vatican Pool via Getty Images)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks to his cardinals during a farewell ceremony in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will acquire the title 'Pope Emeritus' as he retires. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano / Vatican Pool via Getty Images)

Pope Benedict XVI speaks to his cardinals during a farewell ceremony in the Clementine Hall of the Vatican's Apostolic Palace in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI will acquire the title 'Pope Emeritus' as he retires. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano / Vatican Pool via Getty Images)

The dome of St Peter's basilica at the Vatican in Rome. Benedict boarded the helicopter and flew to the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo outside Rome, where he will stay until his powers formally expire at 1900 GMT. (Photo by GABRIEL BOUYS,GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images)

Night falls on St Peter's Square in Vatican City, Vatican. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. The Pontiff has flown to Castel Gandolfo where he will cease to be Pope at 20:00 CET local time. He will stay at the Papal Summer residence until renovations are complete at a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican and will be known as Roman pontiff emeritus or pope emeritus. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful from a balcony upon arrival in Castel Gandolfo. Once he steps down later in the day, Pope Benedict XVI will begin his retirement in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, a sumptuous villa outside Rome with ornamental gardens, breathtaking views and its own farm. (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images)

Nuns attend a mass service to mark the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin. The mass coincides with the final hour of Benedict XVI papacy as his powers formally expire at 19:00 GMT. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Nuns cheer as Pope Benedict XVI waves to pilgrims, for the last time as head of the Catholic Church, from the window of Castel Gandolfo where he will start his retirement today in Castel Gandolfo, Italy. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He will stay at the Papal Summer residence of Castel Gandolfo until renovations are complete at a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican and will be known as Emeritus Pope. (

Pope Benedict XVI waves to faithful from a balcony upon arrival in Castel Gandolfo. Once he steps down later in the day, Pope Benedict XVI will begin his retirement in the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, a sumptuous villa outside Rome with ornamental gardens, breathtaking views and its own farm. (Photo by VINCENZO PINTO/AFP/Getty Images)

People watch a helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI to leave Vatican City in Rome, Italy. The Pontiff flew to Castel Gandolfo where he will cease to be Pope at 8 p.m. local time. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

People crowd the gallery on top of St Peter's Basilica as a helicopter carrying Pope Benedict XVI passes by on its way out of Vatican City in Rome, Italy. The Pontiff flew to Castel Gandolfo where he will cease to be Pope at 8 p.m. local time. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Nuns attend a mass service to mark the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin. The mass coincides with the final hour of Benedict XVI papacy as his powers formally expire at 19:00 GMT. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Nuns attend a mass service to mark the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI at the St. Hedwig's Cathedral in Berlin. The mass coincides with the final hour of Benedict XVI papacy as his powers formally expire at 19:00 GMT. (Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images)