Mass for pope at St. John Cathedral on Thursday at noon

CLEVELAND - The Bishop is offering mass of Thanksgiving on Thursday at St. John Cathedral as Pope Benedict XVI leaves the Papacy.

The Thanksgiving Mass will be celebrated by Cleveland Catholic Bishop Richard Lennon just two hours before Pope Benedict XVI vacates his role as leader of the Catholic Church.

The mass will be celebrated at noon on Thursday, Feb. 28, in St. John Cathedral located at East 9th and Superior Avenue in downtown Cleveland.

Special prayers will be offered for Pope Benedict.

Bishop Lennon will offer a reflection in his sermon.

At 2 p.m. EST, Pope Benedict will vacate the Papacy after nearly eight years as Pontiff and leader of more than one billion Catholics around the world.