Photos: Pope Benedict resignation memes, Twitter Nation reaction

Due to concerns about his health and advanced age, Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he will resign at months end -- the first pontiff to do so since the 1400s. The news created a Pope-size explosion on Twitter, and meme makers are already busy as well. Below, see our...

By Michael Roberts

February 11, 2013

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Due to concerns about his health and advanced age, Pope Benedict XVI has announced that he will resign at months end -- the first pontiff to do so since the 1400s. The news created a Pope-size explosion on Twitter, and meme makers are already busy as well. Below, see our favorite early tweets plus a collection of Benedict memes, with some about the resignation and others featuring favorite jokes we won't be hearing much a few short weeks from now. Check them out here.

The Pope is hardly the first person to lose interest in their real job so soon after joining Twitter.
— Sixth Form Poet (@sixthformpoet) February 11, 2013

breaking: pope resigns after admitting that he chewed through superdome floodlight power cable. "The blackout was because of me," said pope
— jitka (@jitka) February 11, 2013

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"Yo, pope, I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish, but I just wanted to say John Paul II was the best pope ever." - Kanye West.
— Pamela Ospina (@pamelaospina) February 11, 2013

Call me crazy, but I think the next Pope should be someone who didn't help cover up child rape.Tho,that may disqualify every single cardinal
— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 11, 2013

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Pope gives up Papacy for Lent after 8 years of inspiring Catholics to give up blind allegiance to popes.
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) February 11, 2013

What does a retired pope do? Swim? Get in touch with his inner fallibility?
— Jeff Jarvis (@jeffjarvis) February 11, 2013

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Lindsey Graham won't confirm new Pope until he gets some answers about the Synods of Carthage.
— Matt Yglesias (@mattyglesias) February 11, 2013

It's very unusual for a pope to pull out at the last minute like that.
— Moose Allain (@MooseAllain) February 11, 2013

Continue for more Pope Benedict memes and Twitter resignation reactions.

Pope pancakes tomorrow anyone? They're just like normal pancakes but they make you feel even guiltier than a normal pancake.
— Rónán Mistéil (@misteil) February 11, 2013

. @pontifex is the first pope to resign since 1415. Amazing. That's almost three popes ago.
— Jim Norton (@JimNorton) February 11, 2013

More from our Lists & Weirdness archive: "Photos: Top ten Colorado mentions in The Onion."

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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