The coffin of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is carried into St. Peter’s Square prior to his funeral Mass on Jan. 5, 2023. / Daniel Ibañez/CNA
Vatican City, Jan 5, 2023 / 03:21 am (CNA).
Tens of thousands of people were present in St. Peter’s Square for the funeral Thursday of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, a leading theologian of the 20th century and the first pope to resign from office in nearly 600 years.
Royalty, cardinals, patriarchs, government officials, and many Catholic families and religious attended the funeral on a cold and foggy morning at the Vatican. More than 3,700 priests concelebrated the Mass.
Cardinals Joseph Zen, Daniel DiNardo, Timothy Dolan, Gianfranco Ravasi, and Giuseppe Betori, all cardinals created by Benedict, were seated in the front row. The Vatican said 125 cardinals concelebrated.
The ceremony began with the transport of the pope emeritus’ wooden coffin from the basilica to St. Peter’s Square.
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Benedict’s personal secretary, approached the coffin, knelt before it, and kissed it. The crowd then prayed the sorrowful mysteries of the rosary in Latin for the repose of the soul of the late pope.
The funeral Mass was simple and solemn, in accord with Benedict XVI’s wishes. The Sistine Chapel Choir sang the “Salve Regina,” “In Paradisum,” and other hymns.
An image of the resurrection of Christ was hung from St. Peter’s Basilica behind the altar.
Pope Francis presided over the funeral for his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
In his homily, he reflected on Jesus’ final words on the cross: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.”
“God’s faithful people, gathered here, now accompany and entrust to him the life of the one who was their pastor,” he said.
“Like the women at the tomb,” he said, “we too have come with the fragrance of gratitude and the balm of hope, in order to show him once more the love that is undying. We want to do this with the same wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years.”
Benedict XVI died on Dec. 31 at the age of 95. As confirmed by Archbishop Gänswein, his last words were “Signore, ti amo!” (“Lord, I love you”).
Nearly 200,000 people came to see Benedict XVI lying in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the days ahead of the funeral.
“Together, we want to say: ‘Father, into your hands we commend his spirit,’” Francis said in his homily. “Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever.”
The Vatican only invited two official state delegations — from Italy and Germany — to the funeral, but some heads of state and public figures decided to attend in an unofficial capacity.
Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala, and Slovenian President Nataša Pirc Musar came to the Vatican to attend the ceremony, along with European royals Queen Sofia of Spain and King Philip and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.
In the Prayers of the Faithful, the second prayer was said in German: “For Pope Emeritus Benedict, who has fallen asleep in the Lord: May the eternal Shepherd receive him into his kingdom of light and peace.”
The readings for the Mass were Isaiah 29:16–19 in Spanish; Psalm 23 sung in Latin; 1 Peter 1: 3–9 in English, and the Gospel of Luke 23:39–46 read in Italian.
At the end of the funeral Mass, Pope Francis presided over the Final Commendation and Valediction, which were followed by a moment of silent prayer.
Pope Francis approached with a cane and prayed while touching the wooden coffin of his predecessor.
Bells tolled and the crowd applauded as Benedict XVI’s coffin was carried into St. Peter’s Basilica to his place of burial in the basilica crypt. People waved flags and banners, including one that said “Santo Subito,” calling for Benedict’s immediate canonization.
Born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, he was elected to the papacy in April 2005, taking the name Benedict XVI, after decades of service to the Catholic Church as a theologian, prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, cardinal, and one of the closest collaborators of St. John Paul II, whom he succeeded as pope.
Widely recognized as one of the Catholic Church’s top theologians, Benedict’s pontificate was marked by a profound understanding of the challenges to the Church in the face of growing ideological aggression, not least from an increasingly secular Western mindset, both within and outside the Church. He famously warned about the “dictatorship of relativism” in a homily just before the conclave in 2005 that elected him pope.
On Feb. 11, 2013, the 85-year-old Benedict shocked the world with a Latin-language announcement of his retirement, becoming the first pope in 600 years to do so. He cited his advanced age and his lack of strength as unsuitable to the exercise of his office.
Reflecting on life after death in an Angelus message on Nov. 2, 2008, Pope Benedict XVI said eternal life will be like “immersing yourself in the ocean of infinite love where time — a before and an after — no longer exists. Fullness of life and joy: This is what we hope for and expect from our being with Christ.”
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“He also said he does not like ‘extremisms, either progressive, or traditionalist ones’ but believes ‘there is a via media’ which is the ‘correct path to take, even if each of us has his own peculiarities, because, thanks be to God, we do not repeat, we are not clones'(Cardinal Ladaria SJ).” Edw Pentin voiced cautious reserve in Pope Francis’ choice. Pentin noted concern of having two Jesuits in the foremost positions of authority in the Church. It’s the “via media” that is most concerning given that he has never expressed any concern whatsoever over AL. Via media is the Pontiff’s putative approach for communion for D&R in AL. What is striking regarding a middle ground narrowly measured approach in AL is far from what has transpired in those Nat Bishops Conf that have adopted AL and gone far beyond giving sanction to reliance on conscience. It seems considering what is said here Cardinal Ladaria SJ will amount to no more than a yes man. An effectual papal puppet. At least to his great credit Cardinal Mueller had the courage to warn the German Bishops. But who would think outlaw Card Reinhold Marx who previously said he would defy Rome in the mold of Martin Luther and follow his own perspectives on moral issues would pay attention to Card Mueller. Now the Pontiff no longer needs to deal with a Gadfly. He’s appointed a Gnat.
“The Vatican announced July 1 that taking Müller’s place will be Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria, who was appointed secretary to the CDF by Benedict XVI in 2008, and is known to be simple, orthodox in his theology, highly intellectual and is described by those who know him as not being a ‘yes man’.”
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/2017/07/02/cardinal-mller-theres-no-problem-between-me-pope-francis/
I hope he is a good Jesuit and not a bad one.
Oh, brother.
I don’t see how Ladaria is anything but a
“Yes” man as Fr. Morello’s excellent comment declares.
At some point, as Christ promised, the Holy Spirit will have to intervene because Pope Francis will actively move to deny Church doctrine.
“The Vatican announced July 1 that taking Müller’s place will be Jesuit Archbishop Luis Ladaria, who was appointed secretary to the CDF by Benedict XVI in 2008, and is known to be simple, orthodox in his theology, highly intellectual and is described by those who know him as not being a ‘yes man’.”
http://www.catholicworldreport.com/2017/07/02/cardinal-mller-theres-no-problem-between-me-pope-francis/
The SJ is about the sexual revolution and their world-wide zeitgeist brand.
With exceptions for the orthodox ones I know I can trust, like Fathers Schall, Fessio and others like them, I begin with total distrust of anyone of SJ.
I wish their decadent order would disappear faster than they already are.
Just what Pope Francis wants – another yes man carrying water for his decadent 1960s “Kasper-Kirk” the new Church of man as god:
Quote Kasper: ” The God who sits enthroned over the world and history as a changeless being is an offense to man.” (Kasper, God in History, 1967).
Total arrogance.
I reject Pope F until the day he answers the dubia by unambiguously affirming FC, and upholding the word of Jesus against his henchman Kasper and his neo-Pharisee demand for divorce.
I thin a correction should be made in the article and instead of saying: “the most important dicastery in the Roman Curia”, it should be “formerly the most important dicastery…”, as it seems clear that the Pontiff doesn’t have much patience with doctrine. Otherwise, why would be refuse to answer the “dubia”? He is gung ho on changing the doctrine surreptitiously by means pastoral practice. Maybe Ladaria, being aJesuit, will be more docile, according to the Ignatian doctrine of “blind obedience”, or at least he will keep his mouth shut on AL. He is certainly not heterodox.
Oh I doubt Father Ladaria would be intimidated by his fellow Jesuit. Look at Father Fessio–he’s not ever been intimated
by his fellow priests, including his fellow Jesuit, the Pope.
Sick and tired of this man who sits in St. Peter’s chair.
He is not my pope until he answers the dubia.
How could one be concerned about the 4th of July celebrations when a whole new scandal is breaking about the sexual abuse of children, wholesale gay parties in the Vatican and how two of the advisors close to the pope are deeply involved in ongoing sexual activities in a place owned by the Vatican. Amazing, we thought the church had entered into a new era obviously nothing ever changes. These priests and even cardinals involved who practice the gay lifestyle in grand style are rife in the Vatican even those who direct the Liturgy are involved and many others. Some from Australia, Pell for one with many cases against him and those from America who have brought new gay life to the Vatican. It has been all over the radio today is Los Angeles, Radio KFI. Tomorrow it will be all over NY news. They were those that pushed the investigations against Cardinal Mahoney. Evidently, the time has come to leave the church as only a nod is given to these unforgivable acts and life goes on starting with the pope and ending with the lowest priest in any diocese. Obviously, there is no cure for these sins. Well, this will never be posted. God help us, evidently, this is just another Jesuits will be Jesuits. The elites? We don’t think so.
Kathy,I believe that God issues the call, but until these molesters and the bishops who shield them face justice,men who want to live a holy life will stay away from the priesthood. Thank God Pope Francis sent Pell back to Australia to face the music and answer to the law for his misdeeds.
Kathy,thank God Pope Francis sent Pell back to Australia to face the music. Men who want to to serve God will stay away from a priesthood where sin is allowed to flourish.
I hope this man is like Father Fessio an not like Bergoglio,I hope he is Orthodox an a Loyal Son of Jesus Christ……