The funeral of pope emeritus Benedict XVI was held this Thursday (5) in St. Peter’s Square, in the Vatican, in front of about 50,000 people. Benedict XVI, who had resigned from the papacy in 2013, was buried in the tomb that belonged to Pope John Paul II.
In a circumstance unprecedented in the history of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis presided over the funeral of his predecessor, who died last Saturday at the age of 95.
Benedict’s funeral, attended by 130 cardinals, 400 bishops and over 4,000 priests, was very similar to those of previous pontiffs, albeit with some differences since he was not the acting pope, such as the fact that the Vatican had no declared a day of mourning.
The coffin with the mortal remains was carried from the interior of Saint Peter’s Basilica – where the wake open to the public took place over the last three days – on the shoulders of 12 “sediaries”, the bearers of the former Gestatory Headquarters, to the atrium of the St. Peter’s Square, shrouded in dense fog.
Thunderous applause greeted the arrival of the coffin, which was placed in front of the altar as the bells rang. Benedict XVI’s personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, placed an open book of the Gospels on him, and then began the recitation of the rosary that precedes the ceremony.
Pope Francis highlighted the “wisdom, delicacy and dedication” that Benedict XVI “has known how to spread over the years”. He read the homily sitting down, due to knee problems, and it began with the last words that Jesus Christ pronounced on the cross, according to the Gospel: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”.
After the funeral, the mortal remains were transferred to the Vatican Grotto, located under Saint Peter’s Basilica, where popes are buried, to stay in the tomb that belonged to Saint John Paul II, at the request of Joseph Ratzinger himself – name of baptism of Benedict XVI.
Before entering the Basilica, Francis stood for a few minutes and placed his hand in front of the coffin.
About 50,000 people attended the funeral, a number well below initial estimates, according to data provided by the Vatican gendarmerie, as the police headquarters in the Italian capital had predicted to double the number of participants, after about 200,000 visited the Basilica during the three days of the wake.
Some of the faithful held up a large banner with the inscription “Santo Subito” (Holy Now), a request that also echoed during the funeral of John Paul II in 2005.
According to the security plan approved by the police of the Italian capital, the airspace in the region close to the Vatican was closed, and snipers, special forces, including anti-terrorists, firefighters and municipal police were deployed.
The funeral did not have the character of a State, therefore, the authorities participated in a personal capacity, and only two delegations had official status, those from Italy and Germany, the latter being Ratzinger’s country of origin, led by its presidents, Sergio Mattarella and Frank -Walter Steinmeier, respectively.
Among the personalities from 20 countries present were the queen emeritus of Spain, Sofia, the monarchs Philippe and Mathilde of Belgium, and the president of Poland, Andrzej Duda.
The Russian Orthodox Patriarchate was also represented, with Metropolitan Antonij di Volokolamsk, as well as the Jewish community of Rome and the Italian Islamic Religious Community (COREIS), with its vice-president Yahya Pallavicini.
#Emotions #farewell #pope #emeritus #funeral #Benedict #XVI