Paul Kengor, the editor of The American Spectator, told Newsmax Wednesday night that when Pope Benedict XVI resigned, many conservatives were left feeling "bitter."

"I'm seeing an interesting phenomenon now ... where a lot of conservative Catholics who love Pope Benedict and do not like Pope Francis are kind of bitter at Pope Benedict for his resignation ... because it led to Pope Francis," Kengor said.

"Of course, you know that wasn't the intent of Pope Benedict; but it did, in fact, lead to that. And he became the first pope to resign since 1415."

Benedict announced on Feb. 11, 2013 that he would resign from the papacy at the end of that month. The last pope to abdicate his position did so nearly six centuries ago. On July 4, 1415, Gregory XII resigned.

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