Lightning never strikes twice, as the old adage goes… and it may as well be true in the case of the Pope’s abrupt abdication Monday. One would have to look back more than seven centuries to find a similar circumstance.
This picture, captured by Italian photographer Filippo Monteforte on the day Pope Benedict XVI announced his intention to relinquish his role as God’s authority on earth, has captivated people around the world. A sure sign, many say of…something auspicious? Or ominous?
NBC Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel and msnbc host of Jansing & Co. Chris Jansing reported live from the Vatican on reaction to the stunning occurrence among a notoriously superstitious Italian population.
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Erin Delmore