The burning chapel of the emeritus pope Benedict 16thwho passed away on December 31 at the age of 95, opened this Monday at 9:00 a.m. (8.00 GMT) for the latest goodbye of the faithfulhundreds of whom have been waiting in line since the early hours of the morning to enter the Basilica of Saint Peter and dismiss the pontiff.
The exposure of the mortal remains of Benedict XVIwhich will remain open until 7:00 p.m. (6:00 p.m. GMT), was installed in the central nave of the St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vaticanin front of the so-called altar of confession, next to the famous canopy of Bernini.
The remains were transferred there from the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where the pope emeritus resided since his historic resignation in February 2013 and where this Sunday they were watched over by friends, citizens and Vatican workers, as well as by cardinals and members of the Curia.
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Before opening the funeral chapel in the basilica, a private liturgy was celebrated with the cardinals and those closest to the pontiff and among those present was the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.
The first faithful to enter to say goodbye to Benedict 16that whose side was his faithful secretary Monsignor George Gänswein and the Italian cardinal Mauro Maria gambettithey crowded before the remains, remained in front of them for a few minutes and immortalized them with their mobiles.
Some 35,000 people are expected to come to say their last goodbye to Benedict XVI during the three days that the chapel will remain open, while up to 60,000 will be present at his funeral, which Pope Francis will preside over next Thursday, also in Plaza de Saint Peter of Vaticanaccording to the estimates of the Prefecture of Rome.
At 6:00 a.m. (05:00 GMT) this morning there were already hundreds of people waiting to enter and the queue is expected to increase during the day, when the tourists and onlookers present in the Italian capital these days join, so They have reinforced security measures in the area with a police presence and the closure of some streets adjacent to traffic to Via della Conciliazione.
The early risers
The first places in line to enter the basilica were occupied by priests studying theology in Rome from India who explained to Efe that they got up early to say goodbye to what they consider to be the greatest theologian of recent centuries after Saint Augustine.
Although they are very young and have not lived his pontificate to the full, they said that they “had studied all his texts” and, in addition to “being pope, they had great admiration for Ratzinger as a great theologian.”
Also, many nuns were already in line since the early hours of the morning, as well as numerous Romans who wanted to get closer before going to work to greet the pope emeritus.
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Joseph Ratzinger rested in the chapel of the mother ecclesiae decorated with a Bethlehem and a Christmas tree and was covered with the pontifical paraments, the red chasuble on the white tunic, as well as the miter on his head.
But in the first photos released this Sunday, she was not wearing the canopy, the white wool stole that is worn over her shoulders and that, with the Fisherman’s Ring, It represents one of the powers of the headquarters of Pedro, since it was the one he resigned from in 2013.
In the early hours of yesterday afternoon, the word spread that Pope Francis could go to the Mater Ecclesiae to give his last greetings to the German Pope and citizens and religious headed through the Vatican gardens to the monastery where they were received directly by their historic secretary.
Gänswein was very saddened by the death of Benedict XVI, of whom he was a great friend and adviser, and assured the people who gave him their condolences that “he will miss him very much.” It was his idea to freely open the funeral chapel in the Mater Ecclesiae so that from Sunday those closest to him could say their last goodbye.
The basilica will remain open for ten hours on Monday, but that hours will increase on Tuesday and Wednesday, as the faithful will be able to pass before the body of the deceased pope from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (6:00-18:00 GMT).
On Thursday at 9:30 a.m. (8:30 GMT) his successor, Francisco, will preside over the funeral in the Plaza de Saint Peter, in the presence of faithful and official delegations from Italy and Ratzinger’s native Germany. Other authorities may attend in their personal capacity.
