Act of resigning or renouncing a benefice or clerical dignity; every such office may be resigned by the incumbent. The benefice must be resigned into the hands of the proper ecclesiastical superior. Abdication must be voluntary, and free from simony. Papal abdication should be made into the hands of the College of Cardinals, since that body must elect a successor (Ferraris). The following popes abdicated:
Pius VII signed a conditional abdication in 1804, before setting out for France to crown Napoleon, to take effect if he were imprisoned.
This dictionary contains not only definitions and explanations of every subject in Religion, Scripture, tradition, doctrine, morals, sacraments, rites, customs, devotions and symbolism, but also accounts of the Church in every continent, country, diocese; missions, notable Catholic centers, cities, and places with religious names; religious orders, church societies, sects and false religions. It has brief articles also on historical events and personages, on the Old Testament and New, and on popes, prelates, priests, men and women of distinction, showing what the Church has done for civilization and correcting many errors which have hitherto passed for history.Wikipedia
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