Pope Benedict XVI honored at St. Peter Square funeral
Pope Benedict XVI is being laid to rest on Thursday, with the funeral unusually being presided over by his successor, Pope Francis.
Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Square before his German-born predecessor was entombed in the papal tombs beneath St. Peter’s Basilica.
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A large crowd, some of whom had gathered at the crack of a misty dawn outside the building, sang hymns and listened to readings as the ceremony began at around 9:30 a.m. local time (0830 GMT/UTC). The Vatican said roughly 50,000 people attended in all.
Mourners from Benedict’s native Bavaria, dressed in traditional garb, were present among the crowds.
Benedict, faithful friend of the bridegroom [a reference to Jesus — editor’s note], may your joy be complete as you hear His voice, now and forever,” Francis concluded a short speech in which he had commended his predecessor.
Francis spoke to the thousands of other Catholic clergy members of the “wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he [Benedict] bestowed upon us over the years.”
The pope also appeared at several points to paraphrase biblical references to Jesus while alluding to Benedict, including saying that “love means being ready to suffer.”
The pope, who has been in poor health and was brought to the ceremony in a wheelchair, stood briefly and said a prayer over the coffin before it was removed.
A prayer in German followed Francis’ address, as prayers were then delivered in multiple languages, in a bid to show the Church’s global reach.
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, Benedict’s long-serving personal secretary and confidant, kissed the coffin amid the ceremony.