Benedict’s final hours as pope far from Vatican

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VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI will spend his final day as pontiff attending a morning farewell ceremony with his cardinals, then fly off by helicopter in the early evening to his papal summer residence in Castel Gandolfo.

That timetable means Benedict will be far from the Vatican when he ceases being pope at 8 p.m. on Feb. 28.

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