A papal resignation occurs when the reigning pope of the Roman Catholic Church voluntarily steps down from his position. As the reign of the pope has long been held to last from election until death, papal resignation is an uncommon event; only four popes have resigned, all between the 11th and 15th centuries, though disputed evidence suggests that four additional popes may have resigned between the 3rd and 11th centuries. The last pope to resign was Pope Gregory XII in 1415; incumbent Pope Benedict XVI has submitted his resignation, which is set to take effect February 28, 2013.
