Pope Benedict XVI arrives to lead a special audience with the Italian civil protection department at the Paul VI Hall in the Vatican March 6. Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI (c.) attends an audience with Vatican-accredited diplomats at the Vatican January 7, 2008. Pope Benedict, in his annual "state of the world" address called on nations to make a global commitment on security in order to prevent terrorists from gaining access to nuclear weapons. Alessandra Tarantino/Reuters/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI (r.) watches members of Italy's American Circus performing during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican February 3. Alessia Pierdomenico/Reuters
President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama meet with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on July 10, 2009. Pete Souza/White House/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI leads the Angelus prayer from a window of his private apartment as an Iraqi national flag flutters at the Vatican February 28. Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI visits Rome's Lutheran church March 14. Gregorio Borgia/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI celebrates a Mass at Nationals Park in Washington April 17, 2008. On the third day of his visit to the United States, Pope Benedict celebrated Mass in Washington's new baseball stadium, addressed Catholic educators and met with leaders of five non-Christian religions. Jason Reed/Reuters/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI holds his cross as he leads a mass to celebrate the eighteenth world day of the sick in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican February 11. Max Rossi/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI wears a "saturno hat", inspired by the ringed planet Saturn, as he is driven through the crowd of faithful prior to his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, September 6, 2006. Pier Paolo Cito/AP/FILE
An Apple iPod Touch displays the official Vatican internet portal with an image of Pope Benedict XVI in Rome May 22, 2009. Alessandro Bianchi/Reuters/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI and a child look on as one of two doves released by him, returns to his apartments, at the end of his Angelus prayer at the Vatican January 31. Osservatore Romano/Reuters/FILE
Priests lie before Pope Benedict XVI as they are consecrated during a mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican May 7, 2006. Giuseppe Giglia/Reuters/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI leads a meeting at the Vatican with cardinals and bishops during a consistory to canonise five new saints, among them Mother Mary MacKillop, the first Australian saint, at the Vatican February 19. A 19th century nun, Mother Mary MacKillop, became Australia's first Roman Catholic saint. Osservatore Romano/Reuters
Pope Benedict XVI wears a police cap as he meets a former Australian police officer at the Kenthurst Study Center, in Sydney, July 16, 2008. Osservatore Romano/Reuters/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI (l.) speaks to judges to mark the start of the judiciary year of the Sacra Rota at the Vatican January 29. Osservatore Romano/Reuters/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI baptizes the baby of the Swiss Guard commander, Col. Elmar Maeder, at right, during a ceremony in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, January 7, 2007. Pope Benedict XVI baptized 13 newborns in the Sistine Chapel that Sunday, continuing a tradition of Pope John Paul II. Alberto Pizzoli/AP/FILE
Pope Benedict XVI, seen through doorway at center, kneels in prayer during spiritual exercises, as Mons. Don Enrico Dal Covolo, left, presides the prayer service for prelates, in the Redentoris Mater Chapel, at the Vatican, February 22. Alfred Xuereb/L'Osservatore Romano/AP
Faithful gather in St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, February 11, during a mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of the World Day of the Sick, the liturgical memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes. Gregorio Borgia/AP
Pope Benedict XVI leaves on his popemobile after celebrating a vesper ceremony in the "Marie Reigne des Apotres", basilica, in Yaounde , Cameroon, March 18, 2009. The pontiff was in Africa for a seven-day trip that took him to Cameroon and Angola. Andrew Medichini/AP/FILE
Latin America is home to 40 percent of the world’s 1 billion Roman Catholics, but there has never been a non-European pope in the modern era.
With the surprise announcement that Pope Benedict XVI will resign at the end of this month, many in the so-called global south are hopeful that a new pope might finally hail from Asia, Africa, or Latin America.
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-day-06-17
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Nelson-Mandela-His-life-and-legacy
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Turkey-s-discontent
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Duchess-Kate-s-royal-baby-bump
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-Day-06-16
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-Day-0615
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-day-06-14
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Ireland-forever-images-of-the-emerald-isle
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Weather-extremes-2013
/Photo-Galleries/Photos-of-the-Day/2013/Photos-of-the-day-06-13
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Children-s-labors
/Photo-Galleries/In-Pictures/Wildfires-2013