The body of the resigned pope was brought to St. Peter’s Basilica in camera in the morning. The body of Joseph Ratzinger will be publicly laid out for three days until his funeral on Thursday. Rome is taking special security precautions for the funeral of the Pope Emeritus.
As in the past at the funeral of Pope John Paul II, who died in 2005, and at major canonization ceremonies, more than 1,000 police officers will be deployed, according to the Roman prefecture on Sunday. The number of metal detectors to control believers entering St. Peter’s Square will be increased.
funeral on Thursday
On Thursday, Benedict’s successor, Pope Francis, wants to hold a funeral service in St. Peter’s Square. Tens of thousands of visitors are expected. Afterwards Benedict XVI. interred in the crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica – reportedly the tomb that once held the remains of John Paul II until following his canonization they were moved to another location in the basilica.
During the New Year’s Eve and New Year celebrations, Pope Francis paid tribute to his predecessor as a “faithful servant” of the Church. Last Wednesday, during the general audience in the Vatican audience hall, Francis called for prayer for the seriously ill papa emeritus – and thus drew attention to his poor health in the first place.
Benedict’s last words
As was subsequently made known, Benedict received the Anointing of the Sick on that December 28th – popularly known as the Last Unction. According to the Vatican, his condition was worrying but stable followingwards. He finally died on New Year’s Eve, which caused great sympathy worldwide. His last words are said to have been “Lord, I love you”, as Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni and the Vatican media portal “Vatican News” later reported.
Benedict XVI was head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013 before causing a sensation with his resignation. In recent years, following his voluntary resignation in 2013, the first by a pope in more than 700 years, Benedict has lived very secluded in the monastery in the Vatican Gardens, where his private secretary Georg Gänswein took care of him.
ORF analysis: Farewell to Benedict XVI.
ORF correspondent Cornelia Vospernik reports from Rome.
Two popes in a small space
Dealings between Benedict and his successor were considered respectful, if not easy. Benedict stood for a conservative course in church politics, Francis more for renewal. Joseph Ratzinger, as his real name was, was born in Upper Bavaria and was elected Pope on April 19, 2005, succeeding John Paul II.
He was the first German pontiff for more than 480 years. After his death, clerics and politicians praised him as a clever theologian. However, critics bemoaned the conservative course during his time as head of the church – a parallel to his Polish predecessor John Paul II.
Term overshadowed by abuse scandals
Benedict XVI opposed a modernization of the church, which brought him a lot of criticism. His tenure was overshadowed by the abuse scandal that plunged the Catholic Church into a deep crisis. And even following his resignation, the past and his handling of abuse cases caught up with him once more.
An abuse report commissioned by the Archdiocese of Munich accused him of misconduct in four cases during his time as Archbishop of Munich and Freising in early 2022. Shortly following the report was published, Benedikt had to subsequently correct a statement via his private secretary Gänswein. It was Benedict who, while Cardinal Ratzinger was still in office as prefect of the influential Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, set the course for the prosecution of abuse in the church.
Strict stance on celibacy and abortion
However, his more than 20-year tenure in the extremely important Vatican authority was also characterized by a strict stance on issues such as contraception, abortion and celibacy, which many believers, especially in Europe, rejected. In other parts of the Catholic world church, for example in countries in Africa and Latin America, his line received broad support.
