Pope Benedict XVI announces he's resigning

Pope Benedict XVI, the leader of the Catholic Church, has announced he's resigning.

After eight years in the job, he says he's now too old to continue.
The unexpected news came as a shock to many people as it's the first time a Pope's resigned in 600 years.
A spokesperson for the Vatican, the Pope's headquarters, said a new Pope will be elected next month.

Who is Pope Benedict XVI?

Before becoming Pope, he was known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

At 78, he was one of the oldest new popes in history when he was voted into the job in 2005.
He took on the role after the death of a very popular Pope, John Paul II, who led the Catholic Church for 27 years.
He faced many challenges, with fewer Catholics attending church services.
In a statement, Pope Benedict XVI said he was getting too weak to perform his duties and felt he had to resign.(CBBC Newsround)