Status: 05.01.2023 12:38 p.m
Tens of thousands of people paid their last respects to the Pope Emeritus in St. Peter’s Square in Rome. In his homily, the incumbent Pope Francis spoke primarily about devotion to God and trust in the Lord.
The Catholic Church received from the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. said goodbye. According to the Vatican, around 50,000 people attended the funeral service on St. Peter’s Square in Rome, including many visitors from Germany and Benedict’s Bavarian homeland. Compared to the funeral mass for the “Pope of the Century” John Paul II in 2005, the crowd of believers was rather small.
According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, around 130 cardinals attended the mass. Political celebrities, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), were also there.
“It’s a triple coffin – that’s a papal feature”, Anja Miller, ARD Rome, at the funeral service for Benedict
Tagesschau 12:00 p.m., 5.1.2023
Homily by Pope Francis
The funeral mass was led by the incumbent Pope Francis. The liturgy was slightly altered compared to a traditional funeral service for a pope. The requiem was held mostly in Latin, but the intercessions were spoken in several languages, including German.
In his homily, Pope Francis made little direct reference to his predecessor. He spoke primarily about devotion to God and trust in the Lord. Only at the very end did the Argentine say: “Benedict, you faithful friend of the bridegroom, may your joy be complete when you finally and forever hear his voice!” Jesus is often referred to as the bridegroom in the Catholic Church. It is the first time that a sitting pope has presided over the funeral service for his predecessor.
A view of St. Peter’s Square during the public funeral mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
Image: dpa
Ringing of bells also in Germany
At the same time, Germany commemorated Benedict with the ringing of bells and flags in mourning. After the first part of the funeral service in Rome, Catholic churches nationwide began ringing the funeral bell that the German Bishops’ Conference had recommended to the dioceses.
After the mass in St. Peter’s Square, the simple wooden coffin containing Benedict’s body was brought to St. Peter’s Basilica, where Benedict was to be buried in the crypt in his final resting place. The public was excluded from this part of the funeral ceremonies. Before the coffin disappeared into St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis blessed it.
Farewell to Pope Emeritus Benedict: Pope Francis blesses the coffin
Rüdiger Kronthaler, ARD Rome, daily news at 12:00 p.m., January 5th, 2023
Writing in Benedict’s coffin
Before the mass, the deceased pontiff was placed in the coffin with a letter summarizing his life. Among other things, it said: “He fought vigorously against the crimes committed by representatives of the clergy against minors or vulnerable persons and repeatedly called on the church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification.”
During Benedikt’s term of office from 2005 to 2013, there were a number of revelations of abuse scandals. He took measures to protect children and was the first pope to condemn the crimes. However, he did not change the structures that encouraged abuse in the Catholic Church.
The event is new ceremonial territory for the Catholic Church, because for the first time in centuries a retired pope will be buried and therefore no successor has to be elected. Benedict, whose real name is Joseph Ratzinger, died last Saturday at the Vatican at the age of 95.