Pope Benedict XVI Resignation Dominates European News Coverage

Stefan Dal Pozzolo/Vatican Pool for Getty Images

The 85-year-old leader of the Catholic church took on his role in 2005 and is only the second Pope to step down.

ROME - The Pope led the news headlines in many European countries on Monday after the Vatican announced that Benedict XVI would step down at the end of the month.

The 85-year-old Pope has led the Catholic church since April 2005, but he cited his age and health status as reasons for his resignation. His decision to step down marks only the second time that a leader of the church has resigned. The first was Coelestin V in 1294.

In the Pope's native Germany, the news also led newspapers' web sites early on Monday with initial breaking news alerts later being replaced by longer stories.
"The Pope Resigns!" German tabloid Bild titled.

"Pope Benedict XVI to Step Down on February 28," the top story on the site of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said in a less tabloidy treatment.
On French all-news network LCI, the news was a big topic of the day. It was also reported on the front pages of all major French
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