Every sincere Christian should be in a sense “a” vicar of Christ. After all they may never meet a pope but still may meet you as a Christian and that puts YOU on the spot to do what you can for the Lord.
Clearly the Roman Catholic pope has the ceremonial top spot in that capacity (being vicar of Christ) within the Roman Catholic worship community. Popes who take this visibility seriously and lay their lives before the Lord do better than those who make it seem to be about themselves by fading away from the calls of the post. I do not know if Benedict was physically ailing but he made a wiser choice, I perceive, than John Paul did. John Paul wanted to bear up through suffering to the end for his Lord, not a bad aspiration, but Christ also wanted this part of His church to have better than suffering succotash at the top spot. He wanted it to have a vigorous, vocal leader. Which is why, I perceive, Benedict passed the baton to Francis.
Hey....
Are you sure you're not a closet Catholic?
((((((Ducking.))))))