February 28, 2013. (Romereports.com) (-ONLY VIDEO-)  Benedict XVI met with the cardinals already present in Rome, during his last day as Pope. His resignation goes into effect at 8 p.m., the start of the Sede Vacante period. Benedict XVI blessed the cardinals, and during a short emotional speech, he pledged obedience to the next Pope.



Cardenal Angelo Sodano, the dean of the College of Cardinals, thanked the Pope on behalf of all his colleagues for his example and hard work guiding the Church in the past eight years. Cardinal Sodano's concluded his speech using a German phrase that Benedict XVI would often cite, “Vergelt's Gott,” which roughly means “God bless you.”