LIVE UPDATES: Pope Benedict XVI’s funeral
AFP PHOTO / GABRIEL BOUYS (Photo by Gabriel BOUYS / AFP)
- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died on Saturday at the age of 95.
- Pope Francis will preside at a funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday for Pope Benedict XVI.
- More than 60,000 people are expected to attend the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Francis leads Benedict’s funeral as supporters seek sainthood
January 05, 2023 – 07:41 PM
Pallbearers hold the coffin of former Pope Benedict during his funeral, next to Pope Francis, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, January 5, 2023. REUTERS
Pope Francis presided at the funeral of former Pope Benedict on Thursday, delivering a homily comparing his predecessor to Jesus before tens of thousands of mourners, including some who shouted that he should be made a saint.
Benedict’s death on Saturday brought to an end a decade of the former and present pope living side-by-side in the Vatican and it was the first time in more than 200 years that a pontiff had led the funeral service of his predecessor.
Pope Francis leads Catholics in bidding farewell to ex Pope Benedict
January 05, 2023 – 05:54 PM
Pope Francis attends the funeral of former Pope Benedict, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, January 5, 2023. REUTERS
Pope Francis presided at the funeral of former Pope Benedict on Thursday, delivering a homily comparing his predecessor to Jesus before tens of thousands of mourners in St. Peter’s square.
To the sound of tolling bells, 12 pallbearers had carried the wooden coffin holding Benedict’s remains out of St. Peter’s Basilica and placed it on the ground before the largest church in Christendom.
Pope Francis presides over funeral of predecessor Benedict
January 05, 2023 – 05:04PM
Pope Francis attends the funeral of former Pope Benedict, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, January 5, 2023. REUTERS
To the sound of tolling bells, 12 pallbearers carried the wooden coffin of Pope Benedict out of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday and placed it before thousands of faithful gathered in the square for his funeral.
Applause broke out across the vast, cobbled esplanade, which was shrouded in mist, in a sign of respect for Benedict, a hero to Roman Catholic conservatives who shocked the world by resigning nearly a decade ago.
Pope Benedict’s coffin carried into St. Peter’s Square for funeral
January 05, 2023 – 04:34PM
The coffin of former Pope Benedict is carried during his funeral, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican, January 5, 2023. REUTERS
To the sound of tolling bells, 12 pallbearers carried the wooden coffin of Pope Benedict out of St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday and placed it before thousands of faithful gathered in the square ahead of his funeral.
Applause broke out across the vast, cobbled esplanade, which was shrouded in mist, in a sign of respect for Benedict, a hero to Roman Catholic conservatives who shocked the world by resigning nearly a decade ago.
Crowds arrive during the night for former Pope Benedict’s funeral
January 05, 2023 – 03:41PM
People gather at St. Peter’s Square on the day of the funeral of former Pope Benedict at the Vatican, January 5, 2023. REUTERS
Thousands of people began arriving in the dark of the night on Thursday to attend the funeral of former Pope Benedict, a hero to Roman Catholic conservatives who shocked the world by resigning nearly a decade ago.
Some began arriving in the Vatican area as early as 4 a.m. (0300 GMT), five and half hours before the funeral presided over by his successor, Pope Francis, was due to begin in St. Peter’s Square.
Benedict XVI: The pope who gave it all up
January 05, 2023 – 01:00PM
The body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lies in state at St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, on January 3, 2023. AFP
Ex-pope Benedict XVI was a brilliant theologian and defender of conservative values who made history by becoming the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages, after a scandal-dogged papacy.
German Joseph Ratzinger stepped down in February 2013 after almost eight years as head of the Catholic Church, blaming his declining physical and mental health.
Benedict funeral to be similar to that of reigning popes
January 04, 2023 – 03:46PM
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban pays homage to former Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, January 3, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS
Tens of thousands more people paid homage to former Pope Benedict on Tuesday on the second day his body lay in state, and the Vatican announced that his funeral will be similar to that of a reigning pope, including a three coffin burial.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who like Benedict, has called for the protection of Europe’s Christian roots, was among the some 70,000 people paying their respects at St. Peter’s Basilica, following 65,000 on Monday.
Tens of thousands view body of former Pope Benedict
January 03, 2023 – 10:25AM
Body of former Pope Benedict is on public display at St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, January 2, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS
A steady stream of tens of thousands of people filed into St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday to pay their respects to former Pope Benedict XVI, whose body was laying in state without any papal paraphernalia ahead of his funeral this week.
Benedict, a hero to conservative Catholics who yearned for a return to a more traditional Church, died on Saturday at the age of 95 in the secluded Vatican monastery where he had lived since 2013, when he became the first pope in 600 years to resign.
Benedict’s legacy to PH: ‘Paternal care’ from afar
January 02, 2023 – 08:13PM
Benedict XVI served the Church for eight years, but while he made 24 pastoral visits outside Italy in his entire pontificate, he was never able to reach the Philippines, which had been visited by Pope Paul VI in 1970, Pope John Paul II in 1981 and 1995 and Pope Francis following the devastation left by Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan).
However, this was never a hindrance for him, who in 2013 became the second pope to resign in 600 years, to make his presence felt in the Philippines, where over 80 percent of the population—85 million people—are Catholics.
Faithful pay respects to former Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s
January 02, 2023 – 05:00PM
Faithful queue to enter St. Peter’s Basilica to pay homage to former Pope Benedict at the Vatican, January 2, 2023. REUTERS
A steady stream of people filed into St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday to pay their respects to former Pope Benedict XVI, whose body will lie in state in front of the main altar until his funeral later this week.
Benedict died on Saturday at the age of 95 in the secluded Vatican monastery where he had lived since his shock resignation in 2013.
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Pope Francis hails ‘beloved’ Benedict as Vatican releases photos of body
January 02, 2023 – 11:36AM
EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content / This handout photograph released on January 1, 2023 by the Vatican press office, the Vatican Media, shows the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in the chapel of the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. (Photo by Handout / VATICAN MEDIA / AFP)
Pope Francis hailed the “beloved” Benedict XVI in New Year’s Day services on Sunday as the Vatican released the first pictures of the former pontiff following his death at the age of 95.
Official photos showed the German theologian’s body on a catafalque in the chapel of the monastery in the Vatican grounds where he spent the last decade of his life.
Death of former Pope Benedict overshadows New Year at Vatican
January 02, 2023 – 10:49AM
Pope Francis leads the Mass to mark the World Day of Peace in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, January 1, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS
Pope Francis marked the Roman Catholic Church’s traditional World Day of Peace on Sunday but the start of the new year at the Vatican was overshadowed by the death of his predecessor, Benedict.
Francis presided at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica as the body of Benedict, who died on Saturday at the age of 95, was being prepared for three days of public viewing in the same church starting Monday.
Pope leads New Year’s services with homage to ‘beloved’ Benedict
January 01, 2023 – 08:27 PM
Pope Francis kisses a representation of the baby Jesus Christ as he leads the service marking the World Day of Peace at St Peter’s Basilica, in The Vatican on January 1, 2023. – Pope Francis will address the Catholic faithful on January 1, 2023, at the Vatican, the day after the death of his predecessor Benedict XVI at the age of 95. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)
Pope Francis hailed the “beloved” Benedict XVI on Sunday as he addressed thousands of Catholics in New Year’s Day services at the Vatican, the day after his predecessor died aged 95.
“Today we entrust the beloved pope emeritus Benedict XVI to the most holy mother (the Virgin Mary), to accompany him in his passage from this world to God,” Francis said at a mass for peace at St Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Francis to lead unique funeral for ex-pope Benedict
January 01, 2023 – 05:56 PM
FILE PHOTO: Former pope Benedict (R) is greeted by Pope Francis during a ceremony to mark his 65th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood at the Vatican June 28, 2016. Osservatore Romano/Handout via Reuters
For the first time in modern history, a sitting pope will preside over his predecessor’s funeral next week, with Pope Francis leading a “simple” ceremony for Benedict XVI, who died Saturday.
Benedict, the first pontiff to resign since the Middle Ages, had renounced the papal throne — but lived within the Vatican and still wore white.
Timeline: Former pope Benedict, his papacy and retirement
December 31, 2022 – 06:28 PM
Pope Benedict XVI arrives to celebrate a mass at Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, March 28, 2012. Osservatore Romano/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
VATICAN CITY — Former pope Benedict, who died on Saturday, was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign from the post rather than rule for life.
Former Pope Benedict was first pontiff to resign in 600 years
December 31, 2022 – 06:08 PM
Pope Benedict XVI waves as he appears for the last time at the balcony of his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, Italy, February 28, 2013. Osservatore Romano/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo
Former Pope Benedict, who died on Saturday aged 95, was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign, leaving behind a Catholic Church battered by sexual abuse scandals, mired in mismanagement and polarised between conservatives and progressives.
Benedict, the first German pope in 1,000 years, had good relations with his successor, Pope Francis, but his continued presence inside the Vatican after he stepped down in 2013 further polarized the Church ideologically.
Former Pope Benedict dies aged 95
December 31, 2022 – 05:45 PM
Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI waves as he arrives to attend a mass for the beatification of former pope Paul VI in St. Peter’s square at the Vatican October 19, 2014. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
Former Pope Benedict, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to step down, died on Saturday aged 95 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican where he had lived since his resignation, a spokesman for the Holy See said.
“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. Further information will be provided as soon as possible,” the spokesman said in a written statement.
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