A papacy of subtle shades

He was supposed to be ‘God’s Rottweiler.’ AN Wilson looks at the paradox of Benedict XVI, a man who seemed more complicated than many of us wanted to imagine when he appeared.

MY WIFE exclaimed, when she heard of the Pope’s surprise decision to retire: “It’s bad enough having one old man thinking he’s infallible — now there’ll be two of them!”

Our conversation went on to imagine the election of yet another octogenarian, who might well in turn resign before the demise of Benedict. Pretty soon, the Vatican could fill up with retired infallible old men, most of them European, all nodding in front of daytime television in the geriatric wing.