Benedict’s title, garb spark confusion fears

Pope Benedict XVI will be known as “emeritus pope” in his retirement and will continue to wear a white cassock, the Vatican announced, again fuelling concerns about potential conflicts arising from having both a reigning and a retired pope.

The Pope’s title and what he would wear have been a major source of speculation ever since Benedict stunned the world and announced he would resign tomorrow, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years.

The Vatican spokesman, Rev Federico Lombardi, said Benedict himself had made the decision in consultation with others, settling on “your holiness Benedict XVI” and either emeritus pope or emeritus Roman pontiff.