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More than 135,000 people have come to the Vatican before the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, on Thursday, January 5, in a ceremony without precedent in the modern history of the Catholic Church since it will be the first time that the rite will be officiated by the successor, Pope Francis. The religious leader who resigned from his functions in 2013, died on December 31 at the age of 95, due to health problems attributed to his advanced age.
The number of Catholics who have paid tribute in St. Peter’s Basilica to Benedict XVI, in a three-day wake, since January 2, has exceeded expectations in the Vatican.
So far, more than 135,000 people have paid their respects to the emeritus pontiff, who lies in the funeral chapel without any type of papal insignia, in a raised coffin before the main altar of the temple.
The number of parishioners who say goodbye to the emeritus continues to increase, prior to his burial, on Thursday, January 5.
As the Holy See prepares for the burial rite, Pope Francis presided over a religious ceremony in which he praised his predecessor.
The Vatican experienced a surreal moment Wednesday in which a living pope spoke to some of the faithful in one part of the small city-state, while others a short distance away honored a deceased pontiff emeritus.
Pope Francis, 86, who will preside over Benedict’s funeral, called his predecessor “a great teacher of catechism.”
“I would like us to join those who are here with us who pay their respects to Benedict XVI,” added the highest representative of the Catholic Church before thousands of people at the beginning of his audience, in which he concludes a catechism or religious teaching. .
Joseph Ratzinger, the civil name of the German-born pope emeritus, shocked the world in 2013 when he became the first pontiff in 600 years to step down. Moment from which he served as pope emeritus and dedicated himself to prayer and meditation on the grounds of the holy see.
What is known about the burial ceremony of Benedict XVI
Benedict’s wake is scheduled to end this Wednesday at 7 pm local time.
Subsequently, the body of the deceased religious leader will be deposited in a cypress wooden coffin, along with coins and medals minted during his eight years as Pope and a sealed lead tube containing a message written in Latin describing his pontificate, all customary. for the funerals of the popes.
However, because he was not the acting pope, some prayers that are specific to the death of the active pontiff will be omitted from the pre-burial ceremony.
In a private service after the funeral, the coffin will be placed in another zinc coffin and sealed. Both will then be installed in another wooden coffin, in keeping with Vatican traditions for a pontiff.
The holy see noted that Benedict XVI will be buried according to his own wishes, in the same place in the crypts below St. Peter’s Basilica where Pope John Paul II was originally buried in 2005, before his body was transferred to a chapel. of the cathedral in 2011.
With Reuters and AP
