SOMMARIO: 1. La rinuncia di Benedetto XVI all’ufficio di Romano Pontefice - 2. Una nuova situazione soggettiva nel diritto ecclesiale: il Papa emerito.

ABSTRACT: Ratzinger’s resignation is an important event for the history of Catholic Church. Probably, it had a huge social impact and this kind of public reaction obscured the juridical elements involved in the event. But the controversial aspects are not limited only to the public image of Roman Catholic Church and obviously need a typical Canon Law approach. The aim of this essay is to analyse what exactly means a resignation in the  history of ecclesiastical institutions and to offer some suggestions about the most precise answers to many problems still not unclear.