Earlier, the Vatican said Pope Francis would visit his predecessor Pope emeritus Benedict next week.
Pope Emeritus Benedict, 85, became the first pope in 600 years to resign on 28 February, citing ill-health.
But scholars question whether his charisma and experience are enough for a real shot at succeeding Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Benedict XVI will be known as "pope emeritus" and will retain the honorific "His Holiness" after he abdicates on Thursday, Vatican official say.
The German pontiff, who was born Joseph Ratzinger, will continue to be known as Benedict XVI, with the new title of "pope emeritus".
The pope emeritus will give up the red shoes of his papacy and will instead wear brown leather loafers made for him in Mexico.
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Pope Francis' predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict, also recorded a video message.
Castel Gandolfo (CNN) -- Pope Francis is having lunch Saturday with his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in what may be an encounter unprecedented in Church history.
The cardinals who elected Pope Francis last month were strongly critical about basic failings of the Curia under Pope Emeritus Benedict, the BBC's David Willey reports from Rome.
Benedict XVI, who gets to keep his name in rather than reverting to Joseph Ratzinger in his unprecedented position as pope emeritus, meant his choice to be unifying.
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Although there was speculation Pope Francis would meet in person Thursday with his predecessor, known now as pope emeritus, the two have talked only by phone thus far.
The pope emeritus is expected to stay on at the papal summer residence until new accommodation being prepared for him inside the walls of Vatican City is ready at the end of April.
Pope Francis and the pope emeritus have much else in common, not least a steely orthodoxy that was honed in the battles with liberation theology and other Marxist heresies during the past century.
As a conclave gathers to elect a new pope, many in the Catholic world and well beyond speculate about who will replace the now Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who abdicated the throne of St.
Benedict - now Pope emeritus Benedict - became the first pontiff in 600 years to abdicate last month when he said his age, 85, and health meant he could no longer continue in the job.
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected on 13 March to replace Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who became the first pope in 600 years to resign when he stepped down on 28 February, citing ill health.
Leonardo Boff was silenced for a year by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) for his book Church, Charisma and Power, which accused the Church hierarchy of abusing their authority and of being out of touch with ordinary Catholics.
While Pope Emeritus Benedict lived a secluded life inside the Vatican (and plans to live an even more secluded existence in the former convent which is being prepared as his new home in a corner of the Vatican Gardens), Pope John Paul II lived a more gregarious existence, often inviting personal guests to attend his early morning mass and to share his breakfast.
However, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said this week that Emeritus Pope Benedict was not ill.
Benedict, now known as the emeritus pope, had a scholarly demeanor and was steeped in church traditions.
Addressing cardinals for the last time early in the day on Thursday, the soon-to-be emeritus pope tackled the potential conflict straight on: He promised to "obey" the new pope.
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The Kenyan bishops' anti-condom remarks contradict the view of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI who stated in 2010 that "where the intention is to reduce the risk of infection" condoms can be "a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality", Mr O'Brien said.
Benedict's resignation the emeritus pope's personal choices about his future have raised the question of how the Catholic Church will deal with the novel situation of having one reigning and one retired pope living side-by-side, each of them called "pope, " each of them wearing papal white and even sharing the same aide in Gaenswein.
Speaking on Irish state broadcaster Rates' News at One, Fr Twomey, the Professor Emeritus of Moral Theology at NUI Maynooth, said he was shocked at the Pope's resignation, but in hindsight he had given "some signals" in an interview last year.
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