PontifEX

Benedict XVI is clicking his Ruby Prada Slippers and leaving Oz.

I'm bummed that I was at work when I heard the news, and I couldn't get in on the ground floor of the the "Pope Pulls a Palin" line. In fact, I first learned the new via my friend's Tweet:

I hate missing the chance to make a crack about The Quitter, but by the joke had already exploded especially on Twitter, and I had nothing new to add.

Speaking of quitters, Benedict's abdication has brought the spotlight to Pope Celestine V for the first time in 719 years. Here's his story as told in wonderful book Saints Preserve Us!: Everything You Need To Know About Every Saint You'll Ever Need by Sean Kelly and Rosemary Rogers.

 

Pope Celestine V is one of my favorite pontiffs because his story is pretty cray-cray. (Harris and Rogers don't even go into the rumors that he was murdered by his successor). I have mixed feelings about all the attention he's getting now. It's sort of like when your favorite indie band makes it big--you're happy for their success, but you miss being one of the cool kids in the know. It turns out, Pope Benedict XVI has also been a big fan of Celestine V. Four years ago, Benedict visited Celestine's tomb and "after a brief prayer, he left his pallium, the symbol of his own episcopal authority as Bishop of Rome, on top of Celestine's tomb!" About a year later, Benedict visited the relics of Celestine and praised his "great courage". Coincidence? Maybe, or maybe we should have seen the scribens in pariete.

Celestine V as Snow White with his Prince Charming, Benedict XVI

Finally, as Pope Benedict XVI exits, I'm afraid we must sadly bid adieu to Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the Heartthrob of the Vatican and Vanity Fair cover boy.

I'm pretty sure Gorgeous Georg is the only Papal private secretary who will ever get pictures of him posted on the blog BADBOYS DELUXE: Ninja Alpha Males. Seriously, go check it out. Don't worry, it's not only "safe for work," it's safe for church.

Say what you will about Pope Benedict XVI, he did have very good taste in shoes and personal assistants. Not that there's anything wrong with that.