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VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis led the funeral of former Pope Benedict on Thursday, tenderly touching the coffin of his predecessor as he stood supported on a cane earlier than tens of 1000’s of mourners, a few of who known as for the late pontiff to be made a saint.
Benedict’s dying on Saturday dropped at an finish a decade of the previous and current pope dwelling side-by-side within the Vatican and it was the primary time in additional than 200 years {that a} pontiff had led the service for his predecessor. His dying was a loss for conservatives who yearned for a return to a extra conventional Church symbolised by Benedict, who shocked the world in 2013, by changing into the primary pope in 600 years to resign as a substitute of reigning for all times.
On the finish of the funeral in St. Peter’s Sq., some individuals shouted in Italian “Santo Subito!” (Make him a saint now!). It was the identical phrase used on the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, though by many extra individuals then. Whereas three of the final 5 popes have been made saints, solely round a 3rd of all pontiffs have been canonised within the Church’s 2,000-year historical past. Francis, who sat for a lot of the service due to a knee ailment, rose on the finish as Benedict’s coffin was being carried away for a non-public burial inside St Peter’s Basilica. Bowing his head in silent prayer, Francis briefly touched the casket.
At 86, Francis, who has been utilizing a wheelchair however has proven no indicators of slowing down, with journeys deliberate for Africa and Portugal within the coming months, is a 12 months older now than Benedict was when he retired. Francis himself has made clear that he wouldn’t hesitate to step down some day if his psychological or bodily well being prevented him from finishing up his duties, however Vatican officers at all times doubted he may do that whereas Benedict was nonetheless alive. ‘MEANINGFUL DAY’ An account of Benedict’s papacy, together with different objects, together with Vatican cash minted throughout his reign, was tucked into the coffin.
The account, written in Latin, says he “fought with firmness” towards sexual abuse by clergy within the Church. Whereas many main figures have praised Benedict since his dying, criticism has additionally been aired, together with by victims of clergy sexual abuse, who’ve accused him of looking for to guard the Church in any respect prices. Though Benedict largely averted public appearances after his resignation, he remained a standard-bearer for Catholic conservatives, who felt alienated by reforms ushered in by Francis, together with cracking down on the previous Latin Mass. Individuals from all around the world, many from Benedict’s native Germany, arrived within the early hours to say farewell.
Italian police stated about 50,000 individuals have been within the sq., together with a couple of heads of state and a few European royals. “It’s a unhappy however significant day. I needed to be right here a lot that I can really feel it in my coronary heart,” stated an Italian lady who gave solely her first identify, Marianna. Dorotea Dadaeki, a Rwandan lady dwelling in Rome, stated she took trip of her busy day to attend the funeral. “I advised myself that I needed to come and attend holy Mass to accompany him in prayer,” she stated. Xavier Mora, 24, a Spaniard making ready for the priesthood, stated he had studied Benedict’s theology and had “nice affection and esteem for him”.
About 200,000 individuals filed previous Benedict’s physique whereas it was lying-in-state for 3 days till Wednesday night. HOMILY The service began when, to the sound of tolling bells, 12 pallbearers carried the picket coffin holding Benedict’s stays out of the basilica and positioned it on the bottom earlier than the most important church in Christendom. The final time a reigning pope had presided over the funeral of a predecessor was in 1802, when Pius VII led the service for Pius VI, whose physique returned to the Vatican after he died in 1799 in exile.
In his homily learn whereas sitting earlier than the altar, Francis used greater than a dozen biblical references and Church writings by which he appeared to check Benedict to Jesus, together with his final phrases earlier than he died on the cross: “Father, into your palms I commend my spirit.” Through the Mass concelebrated by 125 cardinals, 200 bishops and about 3,700 clergymen, Francis spoke of the “knowledge, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over time”. He talked about Benedict by identify solely as soon as, within the final line, saying: “Benedict, trustworthy buddy of the Bridegroom,(Jesus) might your pleasure be full as you hear his voice, now and ceaselessly!” Greater than 1,000 Italian safety personnel have been known as as much as assist safeguard the occasion, and air area across the tiny Holy See was closed off for the day. Italy ordered that flags across the nation be flown at half workers. After the funeral ceremony, the coffin was taken again contained in the basilica and encased in zinc earlier than being sealed in a second picket casket. At his request, Benedict was buried within the underground Vatican grottoes within the area of interest the place first Pope John XXIII after which John Paul II have been interred earlier than their stays have been transferred to extra outstanding locations within the basilica above.
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