BLITZER: Pope Benedict XVI spoke publicly for the first time today about his resignation at his regular weekly audience before leading an Ash Wednesday mass.</s>POPE BENEDICT XVI, ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH LEADER (Through Translator): I have done these in full freedom for the benefit of the church, but I have prayed for a long time and I have examined before God my conscience, fully aware of the gravity and seriousness of such acts.</s>BLITZER: CNN's Max Foster is joining us now from Rome. What kind of response, Max, did the pontiff receive?</s>MAX FOSTER, CNN INTERNATIONAL ANCHOR: I have to say, it's been a really emotional day here in Rome. I spoke to lots of people coming out of that audience today. It was meant to just be an average weekly audience, but it certainly wasn't that. It was the first time he's spoke since he resigned. And that news has settled in now and people are now responding to that. And they want you to give a sense to the -- to the Pope that they were very grateful and there was a huge cheer we entered that audience in the morning. And when they came out, they were generally emotional. And then you have this mass, the last mass that Pope Benedict will preside over in St. Peter's Basilica. It wasn't meant to be there, but the crowds were so big, they moved it into there. It was meant to be in a smaller space. And it was a spine-tingling service. People absolutely gripped by it, not just because they're always spectacular services in there, but the sense that this is the last time, one of the last times he will be in there as Pope. They haven't got their heads really around this idea, that a Pope can resign. But the news is sinking in, I think -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Max Foster, watching what's going on for us. We'll stay in close touch. Thank you.
Pope Speaks Out About Resignation