World reactions following Pope Benedict XVI's resignation announcement

Pope Benedict XVI announced Monday that he would resign on Feb. 28 because he was simply too infirm to carry his duties. Benedict is the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years. The decision sets the stage for a conclave to elect a new pope before the end of March.     

Following the announcement, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she has the "very highest respect" for German-born Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down.                     

Merkel told reporters after the pontiff's announcement Monday: "As chancellor, I thank Benedict XVI for his work and wish him from the bottom of my heart all the best for the coming years." She didn't say whether the outgoing pope might return to his homeland and left without taking questions.                    

Merkel, who is a Protestant, praised Benedict for his efforts to promote dialogue with other Christian denominations and religions. She said that he "reached out his hand to Jews as well as Muslims."            

Merkel said: "Benedict XVI is and will remain one of the most important religious thinkers of our time."      

For his part, the Israeli chief rabbi Yona Metzger praised Pope Benedict's inter-religious outreach and said relations between Israel and the Vatican had never been better.                                

"During his period as pope there were the best relations ever between the church and the chief rabbinate and we hope that this trend will continue," a spokesman quoted Metzger as saying after the pope announced he would resign. "I think he deserves a lot of credit for advancing inter-religious links the world over between Judaism, Christianity and Islam."          

Metzger wished the pope "good health and long days", the spokesman said.                 

As for the spiritual head of the world's Anglicans, he said that it was with a "heavy heart" that he learned of Pope Benedict's decision on Monday to step down as pontiff, adding he fully sympathized with the decision.            

"It was with a heavy heart but complete understanding that we learned this morning of Pope Benedict's declaration of his decision to lay down the burden of ministry as Bishop of Rome, an office which he has held with great dignity, insight and courage," said Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, leader of the global 80-million-strong Anglican Communion.                   

Welby, who only officially took over his role last week after his predecessor Rowan Williams resigned after a decade in the job, said he gave thanks to God for Benedict's life "utterly dedicated, in word and deed, in prayer and in costly service, to following Christ."                             

"We pray that God will bless him profoundly in retirement with health and peace of mind and heart, and we entrust to the Holy Spirit those who have a responsibility to elect his successor," Welby said in a statement.           

For his part Bishop Samir Mazloum told LBCI that various popes previously resigned and added that the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI was "sudden news" for all.          

"After issuing the pope's resignation, Cardinals hold a secret meeting at the Sistine Chapel where they cast ballots to elect a new pope," Bishop Mazloum said.      

As for the French President Francois Hollande, he described the Pope's decision to resign as "eminently respectable".