Lakhs gather for Pope Benedict's final audience
February 27, 2013  12:55
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Crowds have begun gathering in St Peter's Square in the Vatican for the Pope's final general audience before his resignation on Thursday.

Papal audiences are normally held inside a Vatican hall in the winter.But such is the level of interest that the event is being held outdoors and 50,000 tickets have been requested. As many as 200,000 people may attend.

After Benedict XVI steps down on Thursday, he will become known as "pope emeritus". There has been no papal resignation since Pope Gregory XII abdicated in 1415.
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