The presence of a pope at his predecessor's funeral is unprecedented in the recent history of the Church.
ADVERTISING
Shortly before the coffin was transported inside St. Peter's Basilica for burial, Pope Francis said he paid his last respects: “Benedict (…) may your joy be perfect listening definitively, and forever, to the voice of the Lord ”.
The Argentine pope spoke in front of the wooden coffin where the body of Joseph Ratzinger lies, with a copy of the Gospels on top and placed in the atrium of the Basilica.
Francisco was surrounded by five cardinals at the altar installed in the atrium that dominates the immense esplanade. After the mass, standing, supported by a cane and without vestments, Francisco blessed the coffin and touched it with his hand to say goodbye.
ADVERTISING
“Santo subito”
Among the faithful who attended the ceremony were many priests and nuns, who lined up since dawn to enter the Square.
“For me, he is a great 'doctor' (title for learned saints) of the Church. I always thought that way,” Mexican nun Erica Merino Peña, one of the first to enter, told AFP.
A poster with “Santo subito” stood out among the crowd, recalling the chants of the crowd in 2005, which called for the speedy canonization of John Paul II.
ADVERTISING
The funeral of the German pontiff, who renounced the throne of Peter in 2013 after eight years of pontificate, was “solemn but sober”, as Benedict XVI wished.
50 thousand people, 4 thousand religious
The ceremony lasted one hour and 20 minutes and was concelebrated by at least 4.000 religious people, including cardinals and bishops from all over the world.
Among those present were several heads of State and Government, including the presidents of Italy, Poland, Hungary, Portugal, King Felipe of Belgium and the Spanish queen emeritus Sofia, as well as diplomats of various nationalities.
ADVERTISING
About 50.000 people attended, according to Vatican sources.
In total, 195 thousand people attended the wake over three days, from Monday to Wednesday.
Medals
As Joseph Ratzinger resigned from the ministry before he died, his funeral respected part of the liturgy reserved for popes, but “with some differences,” noted Holy See spokesman Matteo Bruni.
The tradition of placing medals and coins minted during his reign, as well as palliums, on the cypress coffin was maintained.
ADVERTISING
A brief summary of the pontificate was also placed inside the coffin, before being sealed and placed in a zinc casket.
This Thursday, the Vatican released the text, in which it refers to Benedict XVI as “pope emeritus” and quotes the Latin phrase he pronounced during his resignation on February 11, 2013.
In Germany, the episcopal conference invited the country's churches to ring their bells at 11 am, in honor of the first German pope of the modern era.
Born in 1927, Joseph Ratzinger taught theology for 25 years in Germany before being named Archbishop of Munich.
After a pontificate marked by multiple scandals and intrigues and having spent the last ten years of his life praying and studying, Benedict XVI was accused in early 2022 of having covered up four pedophile priests when he was archbishop in Germany. He denied this affair until the end of his life.
Source: AFP
See also:
Receive news and newsletters do Curto News by Telegram e WhatsApp.
