Still, "nothing prevents the next conclave from deciding to abandon the old world and open up to the other continents," he wrote.
Currently on display in the shop's window, they will be delivered ahead of the conclave to decide the new Pope.
Now as 115 cardinals gather here to elect a new pope, with initial meetings on Monday to decide the conclave's date, Benedict's decision confronts them, and will confront future popes, with a host of new factors.
The commission chief has been decided by a conclave of national EU leaders.
The reforms decided at that conclave will take many months or longer to implement, but there are increasing signs that the leadership is planning relatively bold moves.
"The eighth General Congregation of the College of Cardinals has decided that the Conclave will begin on Tuesday, 12 March 2013," said a statement sent by the Vatican press office.
Cardinals have met eight times in General Congregations since Monday to discuss priorities for the church and pick a conclave date, but were delayed in deciding on a date because a handful of cardinals had not arrived at the Vatican until the last three days.
And in the following days, he will attend daily morning meetings with the cardinals to decide the details of the conclave and discuss the future of the church.
It could happen the College of Cardinals might decide to think outside the conclave and consider a fresh new face and surprise everyone, just the way Melissa Leo came out of nowhere to win Best Supporting Actress a few years back.
At the event nearly 600 years ago, a conclave in Echmiadzin in 1441, church leaders decided to move the headquarters back here from Sis, in what is now Turkey, where the Armenian kingdom of Cilicia had been conquered by Egyptian Mamluks.
