What Happened the Night Pope Benedict Resigned
On February 11, 2013, a storm broke out over Rome. By evening, lightning struck the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica — not once, but twice. Cameras captured the event. The Vatican confirmed it. And the world stood still.
Why? Because only hours earlier, Pope Benedict XVI had announced the unthinkable: he would resign the papacy.
A Decision Without Precedent
Pope Benedict XVI became the first pope in nearly 600 years to voluntarily abdicate. The last was Pope Gregory XII in 1415, who resigned to end the Western Schism. Benedict cited advanced age and declining strength, stating:
“After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths… are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”
But what truly captured global attention was not the resignation itself — it was what came afterward.
The Lightning Strikes
At approximately 6:00 PM local time, lightning struck the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, the most iconic symbol of the Catholic Church. Then, it struck again.
Many saw this as a divine sign — a judgment, a warning, or perhaps a confirmation of deeper prophetic meaning.
According to Amos 3:7:
“Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”
Was This Foretold?
The timing reignited interest in the Prophecy of the Popes, attributed to St. Malachy, a 12th-century Irish archbishop. The document lists 112 cryptic mottos for each pope from his day forward. Benedict XVI is number 111. The next pope — listed as “Peter the Roman” — is said to preside over the Church during a time of tribulation:
“In the final persecution of the Holy Roman Church, there will sit Peter the Roman, who will feed his flock among many tribulations; after which the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful Judge will judge the people.”
Though the Vatican has never officially recognized this prophecy, many faithful (and skeptics) wonder if the lightning was more than symbolic.
The Fatima Connection
Others pointed to Our Lady of Fatima, whose third secret, revealed in 2000, included imagery of a bishop in white falling under persecution. Pope Benedict himself had a deep devotion to Fatima and oversaw the secret’s publication during his tenure.
Coincidence? Or fulfillment?
A Spiritual Turning Point
Whether seen through the lens of prophecy, politics, or spiritual warfare, that night marked a rupture in papal tradition and a shift in global perception of the Church. Benedict XVI became Pope Emeritus, and soon after, Pope Francis was elected.
But many still return to that night in February. To the thunder. The strike. The silence.
And they ask: Did Heaven speak?
