Lentorama 2013: There's a Name for That

Day 17: pope emeritus

So it's Pope Week here at Lentorama, every day this week we'll have items specific related to the Vicar of Rome. Today's entry is relatively new, given that there's not been a need for a specific term to describe a retired pope in 700 years or so.

I have to admit to being a little underwhelmed at the title. I was expecting something grander, or at least in Latin (really, would pontifex priscus have been so hard?).

I was also taken by the amount of coverage given to the retirement (or abdication if you want to consider the pope's role as ruler of Vatican City), or maybe just the sense that popes shouldn't retire. I can understand surprise - that a pope could retire seemed like the biggest surprise since people were reminded a couple of seasons ago that NFL games can end in a tie - but the pope is still human, and there's a refreshing sense of self-awareness that if one isn't up to the task, it's time to make way for someone who is (which isn't necessarily a jab at JP2, but rather support for the idea that the individual in the role should make the call to stay or go irrespective of tradition, etc.).

Anyway, more talk of papal stuff to come.