Cardinal O'Brien resigns after abuse claims as Pope Benedict XVI's reign comes to an end – Becky Anderson reports

FROM CNN WIRES:

Rome, Italy (CNN) - Scotland's Roman Catholic archbishop, Cardinal Keith O'Brien, has resigned amid allegations that he abused four men studying to be priests in the 1980s.

Pope Benedict XVI accepted his resignation last week, the Vatican said in a statement released Monday.

O'Brien said he submitted his resignation to the pope months ago, citing his upcoming 75th birthday and his health, according to a statement released by the Scottish Catholic Media Office.

The resignation follows a Sunday report by the British newspaper The Observer that three priests and one former priest leveled allegations against O'Brien that date back 30 years.

This also comes amidst the final days of Pope Benedict XVI's reign, and the ramp up for the election of a new pope begins. CNN's Becky Anderson reports on the latest.

READ MORE: Scotland's Roman Catholic archbishop, mired in abuse claim, resigns