Francis Presides at Benedict XVI’s Funeral In an unprecedented move, a pope has deposed another pope.

From Rome

A simple round of applause from the faithful, who had waited for him since dawn in St. Peter’s Square, received the coffin. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI When laid to rest in front of St. Peter’s Basilica for the funeral presided over by pFather Francis. The Pope Emeritus, who resigned his pontificate in 2013, died on December 31 at the age of 95.

Pope Francis opened the ceremony amid rare fog and low winter temperatures in Rome. The funeral was celebrated in Latin Surely the dead pope would have wanted celebrations in the language that was mandatory in the Church until the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), not because they wanted to spread the religion in local languages ​​afterwards. In 2007, Benedict again allowed masses in Latin. To avoid divisions within the ChurchPeople like the one deposed by the French ultra-conservative Marcel Lefebvre. But Francisco reversed this decision last year.

Pope Francis arrived at the altar of celebration in a wheelchair. Because of his knee problem, he presided over the celebration, but was celebrated by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Ray, dean of the College of Cardinals.

And referring to the Pope Emeritus, the Argentine Pope said in his homily: “With the perfume of thanks and the ointment of hope, we are here to show him once more that love that is not lost; We want to do it with the same anointing, wisdom, grace, and dedication that he has known to spread throughout the years. We want to say together: “Father, into your hands we commit his spirit.”

On Wednesday, in his regular audience with the faithful, Francis defined Pope Ratzinger this way. “The Great Teacher of the Catechism” His “sharp and lofty thinking was not self-referential, but ecclesial because he always wanted to come with us to meet Jesus.”

German Bishop Georg Gänswein, the pope’s private secretary for many years as president of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith Joseph Ratzinger, was beside other members of the Church during the ceremony. But like everyone else, his face was very rude. According to several sources, the dead Pope treated him like a son.

At the end of the funeral, standing up, leaning on his cane and placing his hand on the casket as if to say goodbye, Francis gave the pope emeritus a final greeting.

Believers and representatives in San Pedro

Around 50,000 faithful attended the funeral in St Peter’s Square, which – according to the Vatican gendarmerie – had to make long journeys to enter the area as it was completely off-limits for security reasons. And Vatican airspace is closed.

About 3,700 priests, about 300 bishops and 130 cardinals attended. In addition Representatives of various churches were present Including Eastern Rites, Orthodox Churches, Russian Orthodox Church, Muslims, Buddhists and Jews.

The two delegations officially invited to the ceremony were from Germany and Italy, headed by their respective presidents, Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Sergio Mattarella. But without official invitation, kings, presidents, prime ministers and ministers of 18 countries also attended. Among them are France, Great Britain, Spain, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, Hungary and Gabon. Colombia was the only Latin American country to attend with government representatives. Delegates from other countries were represented by ambassadors accredited by the Holy See.

Great applause from the faithful and priests concluded the ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, while people chanted “sanctification immediately, sanctification immediately” (a phrase heard today during the funeral procession of Saint John Paul II) and raised. Flags of Bavaria and Germany.

The coffin of Benedict, who was the 265th Pope of the Catholic Church, was brought in. The crypt of St. Peter’s Basilica He was buried Thursday afternoon, in a private ceremony, in the same place where the remains of John Paul II were, he was canonized and his remains were taken to the Vatican basilica. In his drawer are coins and medals minted during his pontificate, the pallium, or pontifical insignia he used during his mission, and a summary of his papal history, Vatican sources said.

Several Italian cities have flown their official flags at half-mast this week to commemorate the Pope. So did the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate, and various ministries in Rome. The decision was made by Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, who attended the funeral alongside President Mattarella and other ministers from his government.

At the end of the ceremony in St. Peter’s Square, a band of Bavarian musicians in the traditional costumes of the region played many original songs that would surely have been appreciated by the late Pope, who loved his homeland so much. Joseph Ratzinger was, in fact, born on April 16, 1927 in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria (Germany).

Nearly 200,000 faithful have flocked to St. Peter’s Basilica since Monday to pray and greet the pope emeritus as he appeared there for three days.

According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, visits to the Vatican fortresses, where the pope emeritus and other pontiffs are now buried, will open to the public as early as Sunday.

A new passage opened at the Vatican

Benedict is the only pope to resign in 600 years. and the first Pope Emeritus in Church history. This is why the funeral rite is subject to some changes, as it is celebrated by the reigning pope, usually with one or more cardinals celebrating it. One of those changes is that there will be nine days of mourning at the Vatican after the funeral.

In ordinary times, that is, if the reigning pope dies, after days of mourning, a conclave of cardinals is convened to elect a new pope.

But this time the Church should not open a new conclave because Pope Francis is already in power.

However, there are those who say in the Italian press that a new peaceful conference will open. That is, debates began among the cardinals, especially between those who supported Pope Bergoglio and those who opposed him.

According to an Italian newspaper Republic of La, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s death is becoming “not just a liturgical matter” but a “political conflict” against Bergoglio. According to a Romanian newspaper, Ratzinger’s “quietness” about his succession was a kind of “protective umbrella” for Francis. Although the differences between the two popes are consistent. But now the Ratzinger coat of arms is gone and something has moved in the corridors of the Holy See.

Additionally, an undated but extant letter of resignation that Pope Francis recently spoke of indicates “a kind of whistle that starts a new party” if he is unable to fulfill his role. Republic.