The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. / Daniel Ibañez / EWTN
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Jan 2, 2023 / 16:00 pm (CNA).
Some 65,000 pilgrims waited in line to pay their respects to Benedict XVI Monday, providing moving scenes of grief and gratitude on the first day the pope emeritus’ body lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica.
Simple rituals of prayer, holy water, incense, and silent goodbyes began in darkness inside the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, where he died Saturday at age 95.
Those who had cared for him there during his nearly decade-long retirement — including his longtime personal secretary and spokesman, Archbishop Georg Gänswein — said prayers and farewells before Benedict’s mortal remains were transported in a motor coach from the monastery’s chapel to the basilica, as a small group of mourners processed behind the vehicle past brightly lit Christmas decorations in the Vatican Gardens.
Once there, pallbearers slowly bore his body inside the massive church and down the center aisle, setting it atop a platform in front of the altar. The symbolism was potent: the 265th pope lying in state almost directly above the tomb of the first, St. Peter.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, incensed Benedict’s body and sprinkled it with holy water, praying for Benedict’s soul. The dignitaries in attendance included Italy’s president, Sergio Mattarella, and prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.
Among the first to have a private moment there with Benedict was Gänswein, who bent down to kiss the hands of his friend and mentor.
Outside, well-wishers waited patiently in St. Peter’s Square to enter the basilica, some praying for the former pope as they shuffled forward.
At the end of their wait, after their own solemn procession down the center aisle, they saw him at last, dressed in red and gold vestments and wearing a gold miter, rosary beads in his hands. Before they reached the front of the line for an unobstructed view, some craned their necks for a clearer glimpse or stood on tip-toes to snap photos with their cell phones.
Late Monday the Vatican press office estimated that 65,000 people had made the pilgrimage throughout the day. Benedict’s body will continue to lie in state through Jan. 4. His funeral is Thursday. You can watch EWTN’s live coverage of Benedict’s death from Rome here.
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
The mortal remains of Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over a brief ritual upon the arrival of Benedict XVI’s body in St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 2, 2023, sprinkling the body with holy water and offering prayers for the repose of his soul. Vatican Media
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, personal secretary to Pope Benedict XVI, bids farewell to the late pontiff while his body lays in state at St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican Media
Italy’s Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni (third from left, front row) pays her respects to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 2, 2023. Vatican Media
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Daniel Ibañez / EWTN
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Daniel Ibañez / EWTN
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Daniel Ibañez / EWTN
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Daniel Ibañez / EWTN
The mortal remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI were moved early in the morning on Jan. 2, 2023, from his former residence in the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery to St. Peter’s Basilica, where the late pope is lying in state through Jan. 4. Thousands waited in line to pay their respects. Vatican Media
The Holy See Press Office estimated that 65,000 people paid their respects to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Jan. 2, 2023, the first day his body was lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican Media
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the longtime personal secretary of Benedict XVI, embraces one of the estimated 65,000 pilgrims who came to pay their respects to the former pope on Jan. 2, 2023, the first day his body was lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica. Daniel Ibañez / EWTN
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Vatican City, Mar 8, 2018 / 09:55 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Church is responsible for encouraging civil leaders to respond to migration on the basis of Catholic social teaching, the Pope told the International Catholic Migration Commission Thursday.
“Together we must encourage countries to coordinate more suitable and effective responses to the challenges posed by issues of migration; and we can do this on the basis of the essential principles of the Church’s social teaching,” Pope Francis said March 8 in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall to the members of the comission’s plenary council.
“I ask the Holy Spirit to continue to enlighten all of you, as you carry out your vital mission of showing forth God’s merciful love to our migrant brothers and sisters.”
He commented that “your commitment has deepened in response to the inhumane living conditions experienced by millions of our migrant and refugee brothers and sisters in various parts of the world. Just as he did at the time of Israel’s enslavement in Egypt, so too the Lord hears their cry and sees their sufferings.”
The commission was founded in 1951, and the Pope said its works “represent exemplary instances of the four verbs – welcome, defend, promote and integrate – by which I wished to characterize the Church’s pastoral response in the face of migration.”
Francis also said he hopes the commission “will continue to inspire local Churches to do all they can for persons forced to leave their home countries and who, all too often, become victims of dishonesty, violence and abuse of every sort.”
He referred again to Moses’ commission from the Lord to free the Hebrews from Egypt, and said that “In order to set free those who today are oppressed, rejected and enslaved, it is essential to promote open and sincere dialogue with government leaders, a dialogue that takes into account people’s actual experiences, sufferings and aspirations, in order to remind everyone once more of his or her responsibilities.”
The Pope commended the compacts on refugees and migrants being drafted at the United Nations as “a privileged forum for implementing such dialogue.”
“We must … commit ourselves to ensuring that, as a sign of shared global responsibility, concrete engagement follows from the words already codified in the aforementioned two agreements,” Pope Francis stated.
Vatican City, Jun 11, 2021 / 05:10 am (CNA).
The Vatican issued a decree Friday setting limits on the terms of leaders of international associations of the faithful and new communities.In an introduct… […]
Respectful farewell. In Paradisum Deducant te Angeli.