The coffin with the body was removed from the basilica and placed in St. Peter’s Square. The funeral rite was led by Pope Francis, after his predecessor.
About 100 thousand people gathered in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, where the funeral of former Pope Benedict XVI was held today. The Guardian writes about it.
Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) died on 31 December at the age of 95. He led the Catholic Church from 2005 until his resignation in 2013.
During the three days that the ex-priest’s burial was in St. Peter’s Basilica, about 135,000 people came to bid him farewell, far beyond Vatican officials’ expectations.
According to Matteo Bruni, head of the press service of the Holy See, the funeral is very simple, according to Benedict’s own will, without spectacular ceremonies.
Crowds of believers began to form long before the farewell began. The first people appeared in front of the basilica as early as 4 in the morning, five and a half hours before the funeral.
Twelve people, accompanied by the sound of bells, removed the wooden coffin containing the ex-priest’s body from the basilica and placed it in St. Peter’s Square so Catholics could bid farewell to the former head of the church, Reuters reported.
The funeral was led by Pope Francis, who came to St. Peter’s Basilica in a wheelchair due to knee pain. This marks the first time in modern history that an incumbent pastor bury his predecessor.
At his funeral, the deceased was named Pope Honorary, that is, the person who had already been removed from his post.
A total of 125 Catholic cardinals, 200 bishops and about 3,700 priests attended the farewell service.
In connection with Benedict’s funeral in Lviv, the Vatican flag was hoisted next to the Town Hall. The mayor of the city, Andrei Sadovy, announced this on his social networks today.
“As a sign of Lviv’s solidarity, the Vatican flag was hung in front of the Town Hall,” the mayor wrote.
Remember, on December 28, Pope Francis announced that Benedict was very ill. Then the Vatican press service said that his condition had deteriorated recently.
Source: Focus
Alfred Hart is an accomplished journalist known for his expert analysis and commentary on global affairs. He currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker, where he provides readers with in-depth coverage of the most pressing issues affecting the world today. With a keen insight and a deep understanding of international politics and economics, Alfred’s writing is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the world we live in.