Pope Benedict XVI will officially put to an end an eight-year papacy this Thursday.
He will be known as "pope emeritus" and will retain the honorific "His Holiness" after he leaves office, Vatican official say.
He will also continue to be known by his papal title of Benedict XVI, rather than Joseph Ratzinger.
He will surrender his gold ring of office, his specially made red leather loafers and the seal of his papacy will be destroyed in the same way as when a pope dies.
His swiss guard will be dismissed and archive documents packed up to mark the end of his catholic papacy.
His resignation is the first by a pope for some 600 years.
Fom 4 March, the College of Cardinals will meet in congregations to start the secret election, or conclave, to elect Pope Benedict's successor.
That successor will be chosen by 115 cardinal-electors through ballots held in the Vatican's Sistine Chapel.
A two-thirds-plus-one vote majority is required to elect a new successor.
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