In September 2011, Italian religious writer Antonio Socci mentioned that the Pope was considering resigning following his 85th birthday, in April 2012. Rorate was, of course, the first English-language venue to actually translate his words at the time.
Socci yesterday recalled his prediction, and added that the main reason that prevented the Pope from this act in 2012 was the explosion of the "Vatileaks" scandal - and that, as soon as the main aspects of the crisis were resolved (with the pardon granted to Paolo Gabriele), His Holiness decided to act. The troubling final cardinalatial report on Vatileaks, by the way, which is currently held in secrecy, apparently includes many names and information which could be of great use to the future Pontiff.
