This file photo shows President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, at the Vatican, July 10, 2009.

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI (center) leaves after attending a meeting of Vatican cardinals where he read a document in Latin in which he announced his resignation, at the Vatican, Monday.

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI (right) and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College of Cardinals, hug each other after the pontiff announced during the meeting of Vatican cardinals that he would resign Feb. 28, at the Vatican, Monday.