Pope bids farewell - WRCBtv.com | Chattanooga News, Weather & Sports

(NBC) - Pope Benedict the 16th greeted pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for the final time before retiring, waving to tens of thousands of people who have gathered to bid him farewell.

Benedict was driven around the square in an open-sided vehicle, surrounded by bodyguards.

St. Peter's was overflowing with pilgrims and curiosity-seekers were picking spots along the main boulevard nearby to watch today's event on giant TV screens.

Some 50,000 tickets were requested for Benedict's final master class on the Catholic faith, but Italian media estimated the number of people actually attending could be double that.