Pope Benedict XVI resigns: The best pope memes so far

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The Catholic Church, and the pope in particular, is always ripe for jokes, but the Internet really outdid itself Monday morning as Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, the first to do so in more than 700 years.

Within minutes, social networks were chock full of papal humor--some good, plenty bad, with plenty of groan-worthy puns.

Here's a selection of some of the standouts.

"Brace yourselves"
A good Game of Thrones meme never goes amiss.

Now that the Pope is resigning, I wonder if he'll go north to Castle Black and join the Night's Watch. #winteriscoming

— Andy Carvin (@acarvin) February 11, 2013

"Ex-Benedict"
The Internet was loving the opportunity to play on the pontiff's name.

EX BENEDICT

— max read (@max_read) February 11, 2013

Pope Palpatine
Back when Pope Benedict was first inaugurated in 2005, gleeful jokers took note that he bore a resemblance to Ian McDiarmid, the actor who portrayed the evil Emperor Palpatine in the Star Wars films. That meme reappeared with the pope's resignation.

Pope Benedict Cumberbatch
The other famous Benedict, actor Benedict Cumberbatch, was a popular choice too.

I vote Benedict Cumberbatch for Pope. Won't have to change the towels. #popebenedictXVII

— Dana Delany (@DanaDelany) February 11, 2013

Quitter pope
The last pope to resign the papacy willingly was way back in 1415, when Pope Gregory XII abdicated so that the Great Schism in the Church could be mended. Benedict's decision to call it quits was ripe for humor.

The last time a pope resigned, Richard III was pulling into a very bad parking space in Leicester.

— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) February 11, 2013

Retirement should be an easy transition for the Pope. He already wears a robe all day.

— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) February 11, 2013

Lent
Lent, the 40-day period before when many Christians make some kind of personal sacrifice to prepare themselves for Easter, begins Wednesday. The jokes that followed were almost too easy.

Current events
From the dysfunctional U.S. Congress to performance-enhancing drugs and Lance Armstrong, the pope's resignation fit right in with current absurdities.

DEVELOPING: Lindsey Graham says he won't let Pope Benedict resign until he gets some answers about Benghazi.

— daveweigel (@daveweigel) February 11, 2013

You know the economy is bad when even God is laying people off. #pope

— Sarcastic Scouser (@MichaelGareth) February 11, 2013

Pope Benedict is retiring. How long before he tells Oprah he used performance-enhancing communion wafers?

— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) February 11, 2013

Right now, the Pope is changing his Facebook status to It's Complicated.

— Nina L. Diamond (@ninatypewriter) February 11, 2013

Classics
Can't go wrong with a good punny turn of phrase or a jest on the nature of the Church.

Pope Benedict is retiring. How long before he tells Oprah he used performance-enhancing communion wafers?

— Comedy Central (@ComedyCentral) February 11, 2013

VATICANCY

— max read (@max_read) February 11, 2013

Pope at next job interview. "Tell me about your strengths." "Well, I love working with people. I'm infallible. That could be an asset."

— pourmecoffee (@pourmecoffee) February 11, 2013

Auditioning for the new Pope. Have to have two Latin pieces and a Shakespearean monologue. Costume fitting at 5.

— Colin Mochrie (@colinmochrie) February 11, 2013