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But Pope Benedict could finally be best remembered for his lonely decision to step down voluntarily as leader of the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics and CEO of the minuscule Vatican City State - a decision made because he simply felt he was no longer up to the job.
BBC: Pope Benedict: Will retirement seal his legacy?
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CNN's Richard Allen Greene and Hada Messia reported from Vatican City, Laura Smith-Spark wrote in London, and Chelsea J.
CNN: The new pope's first day: Mass with the cardinals
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CNN's Richard Allen Greene and Hada Messia reported from Vatican City, Laura Smith-Spark wrote and reported in London, and Ben Brumfield, Chelsea J.
CNN: March 15, 2013 -- Updated 0736 GMT (1536 HKT)
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Vatican City (CNN) -- A man of many firsts, Pope Francis will spend part of his first full day celebrating Mass with the cardinals who elected him.
CNN: The new pope's first day: Mass with the cardinals
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Benedict will simply leave at the end of his typical workday -- 8 p.m. in Vatican City, Lombardi said.
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But he spoke in Italian, the language cardinals most commonly use inside Vatican City and the native tongue of Italy's 28 voting-age cardinals, the most of any single nation.
WSJ: How Jorge Mario Bergoglio Became Pope Francis
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The long-time theologian is expected eventually to retire to a monastery on a hill inside Vatican City, with officials saying he will not be able intervene publicly in the papacy of his successor, though he may offer advice.
BBC: Pope Benedict XVI formally resigns to become 'pilgrim'
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The privately-held Vatican bank, Institute for Works of Religion (IOR), located inside Vatican City, has been at the centre of several financial scandals in recent years, and has been under investigation since 2010 for allegedly omitting data in wire transfers from an Italian account.
BBC: Cash-only for visitors to the Vatican
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The decision will be made by cardinal-electors -- the 115 cardinals of the church under the age of 80, who arrived in Vatican City from all across the world.
CNN: March 11, 2013 -- Updated 1034 GMT (1834 HKT)