(AGI) Rome, Jan. 14 - The era of Italian head of state, GiorgioNapolitano, came to an end at 10:35 a.m. on Wednesday. Hetendered his resignation in a letter of only a few lines, whichfollowed the announcement made in his TV address on New Year'sEve. He leaves the Quirinale Palace at the end of his nine-yearpresidency, the last two of which turned out to be veryexacting. His goodbye was carried out according to strictprotocol although it turned out to be a private, almostunassuming, ceremony. President Napolitano had confided onesecret to a little girl whom he met on the Quirinale Square onTuesday: "It's a bit like being in prison here". During hislast morning in office, he received goodbye phone calls, read apress review prepared for him and the text of his resignationletter as well as letters for the presidents of the Senate andthe Chamber of Deputies and the prime minister. He signed theletters and the Secretary General of the Presidency, DonatoMarra, departed for Palazzo Madama, the seat of the Senate, andPalazzo Montecitorio, the seat of the Chamber of Deputies,escorted by Corrazzieri (the president's guard) on motorcycles.Another member of the Corrazzieri regiment stepped onto thebalcony of the Sala dei Precordi, which overlooks the fountainwith the equestrian sculptures, and hauled down the flag. Theflag flying over the tower was also lowered, signalling thatthe seat at the Quirinale Palace is vacant. The regency is nowheld by the President of the Senate, Pietro Grasso, although,as customary, he will not move to the Quirinale Palace. Mr.Grasso will move to Palazzo Giustiniani, only a few metres fromthe Senate, and will stay there until the next president iselected. The transition will be marked by the deployment of twoCorrazzieri guards l at the entrance of the palace and of theoffice of the acting president. Mr. Napolitano said goodbye tomembers of his staff, left the Studio alla Vetrata anddescended to the Court of Honour, where he was saluted by themilitary and received the blue, red and white checkeredPresidential Standard bearing the coat of arms of the Republicin the centre. He was then driven out of the main gates wherehe was met by a cheering crowd. He received an extendedapplause in the Chamber of Deputies, after President LauraBoldrini read his resignation letter. He reached his privateresidence on the nearby Via dei Serpenti, marking the beginningof another long era in his life. He received many thanks andgoodbyes from most people, except for the members of BeppeGrillo's Five Star Movement. Mr Grillo also asked him to giveup his right to the status of Senator for Life. Instead, PrimeMinister Matteo Renzi gave him a last warm thanks. . .