The Pope will die within the next 12 months

The Pope will die within the next 12 months, a senior Vatican figure has reportedly claimed amid fears of an assassination plot.

The sensational prediction was allegedly made by Cardinal Paolo Romeo, the archbishop of Palermo in Sicily, on a recent visit to China.
Cardinal Romeo reportedly made the startling prediction of the Pope's death during a trip to China in November 2011.
He seemed so sure of the fact that the people he spoke with, including Italian businessmen and Chinese representatives of the Catholic Church, were convinced that he was talking about an assassination attempt.
They were so alarmed by his remarks that they reported them back to the Vatican.



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... ealed.html

I am betting it will be 12 months, but natural causes. Ratzinger is already older than Pope John Paul II and he has reduced his schedule lately. Traditionally Popes reign until they die, but due to people living much longer and losing their mental and physical capacities, I wonder if Popes will start to step down.
Not too many CEO's serve until they die.