Local Reaction to Pope Benedict's Resignation

Iowa City takes to Twitter to respond to the Pope's rare resignation.

Pope Benedict XVI's announcement that he plans to retire at the end of the month is surprising but not a shock.

The Pope, who is 85 and in failing health, cited his advanced age as a reason he can no longer carry out his papal duties. He said he planned to retire by the end of the month.

The Pope is typically a role the person appointed keeps until death. Benedict would be the first Pope in six centuries to resign before death, according to the New York Times.

Pope Gregory XII resigned in 1415 to end the "Great Western Schism," a rift in which there were rival claims to the papal throne, according to CNN.