Pope Francis on the Demographic Situation: Only the Rich in Italy can afford Children
Starting a family in Italy is starting to become a "titanic effort" that only the rich can afford
Pope Benedict XVI has vowed "unconditional obedience and reverence" to his eventual successor.
He was speaking on his final day in office at the Vatican to his cardinals, one of whom will be elected next month to replace him.
Benedict, 85, will leave for the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, later on Thursday.
"I will continue to serve you in prayer, in particular in the coming days" as the cardinals work to select a new pontiff, he said.
Benedict told the cardinals it was a "joy to walk with you" during his eight years as pope.
Vatican spokesman the Rev. Thomas Roscia said 144 cardinals had attended Benedict XVI's farewell to them as pope.
That includes both cardinal-electors, who are under the age of 80, and cardinals who are not eligible to vote for the next pope.
Not all those eligible to vote were present, said Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi.
The final number of cardinal-electors has not been confirmed but is thought to be 115.
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The European Parliament has voted to impose a €10,000 limit on cash payments within the European Union
French President Emmanuel Macron issued a stark warning to Europe, urging the continent to confront the challenges of a rapidly changing world
In a recent statement, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov issued a stern warning to Poland, asserting that any permanent deployment of NATO nuclear weapons on Polish soil would render the country a military target for Russia.
Reports confirm that Ukraine has deployed long-range ballistic missiles provided by the United States in secret, targeting Russian forces in occupied territories
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has pledged to take all necessary measures to compensate for the six-month delay in receiving a new 61 billion dollars US aid package
Russia has declared its intention to repatriate 48 deported Ukrainian children to their families, according to Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights
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Bulgaria: 3 Regions With Lowest Life Expectancy - EU Report 2022