POPE BENEDICT XVI MAKES HIS FAREWELL DEPARTURE FROM ST. PETER'S SQUARE BY HELICOPTER.............

Momentarily His Holiness will depart by helicopter from St. Peter's Square and the Vatican for the last time as the active and current 265th Successor of St. Peter, Pope Benedict XVI; to temporarily spend the first two months following his resignation which takes effect three and a half hours from now, at the papal summer residence of Popes for the past 400 years, Castel Gandolfo.  The Swiss Guards, protectors of the Pope are standing in readiness along with a small contingent of Vatican City employees and residents in the San Damaso Courtyard outside the Pope's Apartment. +Benedict XVI will shortly leave the Apostolic Palace named for Pope Sixtus V, and be driven from the courtyard to the helipad.  Laity, Religious, Priests, and Bishops, are among those assembled outsude the Papal Apartment.  Pope Benedict is coming out of his residence being greeted by a number of prelates and now using a cane, as he was earlier this morning steps out onto the courtyard and is greeted with sustained applause by his Vatican staff members.  He pauses to greet the priests and bishops who are greeting him and kissing the Ring of the Fisherman, which evert Pope wears.  His Fisherman's Ring will be destroyedc later today upon the onset of +Benedict XVI's resignation.  The Pope is in his car after saying goodbye to the Vatican Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone, who will be the, "Camerlengo", the interim Administrator / Overseer of the Church until the election of the new Pope.  The Pope's car has arrived at the helipad and he is exiting the car, greeted by the Dean of the College of Cardinals Angelo Cardinal Sodano, Pope Benedict has stepped onto the helicopter accompanied by others, and the door is shut.  He will fly over Vatican City for the last time as the Supreme Pontiff, and cameras are positioned so he will be seen flying in the helicopter for the 15 minute flight.  Bells are pealing resoundingly in Vatican City as the papal helicopter prepares to take off.  The helicopter is taking off.  As the Pope awaited ascent he tweeted in Latin, "Thank you for your Love and Support.  May you always experience the joy of putting Christ at the centre of your lives".  There is no view of Pope Benedict flying in the helicopter as of yet, although the helicopter remains in full view as it hovers over the City of Rome.  The Vatican bells intensify and are a precedent setting array, a full peal of all the bells, which until now was only ever done with the election of a new Pope.  More Soon on the news developments of this historic day in the Papacy and the Catholic Church.............tdp