Farewell of the Day: Pope Benedict XVI Resigns

After serving nearly eight years as the chief of the Vatican, Pope Benedict XVI announced this morning that he would be resigning from the papacy on February 28th, 2013, citing his age and deteriorating mental and physical strength as the reason behind this unexpected move. This announcement marked the first living pope to leave his office since Pope Gregory XII in 1415 and the first voluntary papal resignation since Pope Celestine V in 1294. The Internet has responded to the news in large volumes, with Twitter users commenting not only with empathy or in criticism, but also with puns based around the popular breakfast dish "Eggs Benedict."