Benedict XVI to hold final papal audience in Vatican

Crowds have begun gathering in St Peter's Square in the Vatican for the Pope's final general audience before his resignation on Thursday.

Papal audiences are normally held inside a Vatican hall in the winter.

But such is the level of interest that the event is being held outdoors and 50,000 tickets have been requested. As many as 200,000 people may attend.

After Benedict XVI steps down on Thursday, he will become known as "pope emeritus".

There has been no papal resignation since Pope Gregory XII abdicated in 1415 and the surprise announcement of Benedict's abdication has required the rules of electing a successor to be changed to allow the next pope to be chosen before Holy Week, which leads up to Easter.

On Wednesday, the Pope, 85, will be making one of his last public appearances - using his trademark white "popemobile" to greet pilgrims in St Peter's Square.

Organisers say there will be no traditional kissing of the pontiff's hand because of the sheer size of the expected crowd.

"He doesn't want to favour one or the other of the pilgrims," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi told the AFP news agency.