Pope Francis leads Benedict’s funeral
2023.01.05 07:43
Pope Francis leads Benedict’s funeral
Budrigannews.com – On Thursday, Pope Francis presided over the funeral of the late Pope Benedict, tenderly touching the coffin of his predecessor as he stood on a cane in front of tens of thousands of mourners, some of whom demanded that the late pontiff be made a saint.
The former and current popes lived side by side in the Vatican for a decade before Benedict died on Saturday. It was the first time in more than 200 years that a pontiff had presided over the funeral for his predecessor.
Conservatives who longed for a return to a more traditional Church, as Benedict did in 2013, when he became the first pope in 600 years to resign rather than reign for life, mourned his passing.
Some people in St. Peter’s Square yelled “Santo Subito!” () at the end of the funeral. Make him a saint immediately!). The same phrase was used, albeit by a larger number of people, at Pope John Paul II’s funeral in 2005.
In the Church’s 2,000-year history, only about a third of all pontiffs have been canonized, despite the fact that three of the last five popes have been made saints.
Because of a knee injury, Francis had to sit for most of the service, but he got up at the end to see Benedict’s coffin being carried away for a private burial inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Francis touched the body for a brief moment while silently bowing his head in prayer.
Francis, who has been traveling in Africa and Portugal in the coming months and uses a wheelchair, is now 86 years old, one year older than Benedict was when he retired.
Francis has made it abundantly clear that he would not hesitate to resign at any time if his mental or physical health made it impossible for him to carry out his responsibilities. However, officials at the Vatican have always questioned Francis’ ability to do so while Benedict was alive.
The coffin contained a biography of Benedict’s time as papacy and other mementos, such as Vatican coins issued under his rule. According to the Latin-language account, he “fought with firmness” against clergy sexual abuse in the Church.
Since his death, a number of influential people have praised Benedict, but he has also been criticized, including by clergy sexual abuse victims who have said that he was trying to protect the Church at any cost.
Even though Benedict largely avoided public appearances after his resignation, he remained a symbol for Catholic conservatives who felt alienated by Francis’ reforms, such as cracking down on the old Latin Mass. Numerous visitors from all over the world, including many from Benedict’s home country of Germany, arrived early to bid him goodbye. According to Italian police, around 50,000 people were in the square, including some European royalty and a few heads of state.
“It’s a sad but important day. “I can feel it in my heart that I wanted to be here so much,” an Italian woman who only used her first name, Marianna, said.
Dorotea Dadaeki, a Rwandan woman living in Rome, stated that she attended the funeral during her busy day. She continued, “I told myself that I had to come to holy Mass to join him in prayer.”
Spanish priest Xavier Mora, 24, said he had “great affection and esteem for him” after studying Benedict’s theology.
During the three days prior to Wednesday evening, when the body of Benedict lay in state, approximately 200,000 people made their way past it.
Benedict’s wooden coffin was carried out of the basilica by 12 pallbearers and laid on the ground in front of the largest church in Christendom to the sound of tolling bells, which signaled the beginning of the service.
In 1802, Pius VII presided over the funeral of Pius VI, whose body was returned to the Vatican after he died in exile in 1799. This was the last time a current pope had presided over the funeral of a predecessor.
More than a dozen references to the Bible and Church writings were used by Francis in his homily read in front of the altar, including Jesus’ last words before he died on the cross: ” Father, I hand over my spirit to you.
Francis referred to the “wisdom, tenderness, and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years” during the Mass that was celebrated by approximately 3,700 priests, 200 bishops, and 125 cardinals.
In the very last line, he only mentioned Benedict by name, saying: Benedict, devoted companion of the Bridegroom (Jesus), may your joy be complete when you hear his voice now and always!”
The event was guarded by over 1,000 Italian security guards, and airspace around the tiny Holy See was closed off for the day. Italy mandated that the country’s flags be flown at half staff.
The coffin was sealed in a second wooden casket and taken back inside the basilica after the funeral. It was then covered in zinc.
Benedict was buried in the Vatican’s underground grottoes in the same niche as Pope John XXIII and then John Paul II before their remains were moved to more prominent locations in the basilica above. This was done at his request.
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