Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI: “gift to the world”

Brussels 01.01.2023 Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has passed away at the age of 95, Director of the Holy See Press Office Matteo Bruni said.

At this time, let us invoke the intercession of Mary Most Holy for Pope emeritus Benedict XVI. Let us all join together, with one heart and one soul, in thanking God for the gift of this faithful servant of the Gospel and of the Church.

— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 1, 2023

“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today,” he said January 31. Beginning on Monday morning, January 2, “the body of the Pope Emeritus will be in Saint Peter’s Basilica so the faithful can bid farewell,” according to the spokesman.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s remains rest at the 'Mater Ecclesiae' monastery in the Vatican.

Starting Monday morning at 9 am, the Pope Emeritus’ body with lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica for public viewing until Thursday morning. pic.twitter.com/IwuShYpmqc

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) January 1, 2023

As reported earlier, the health of the Pope Emeritus had worsened and Pope Francis publicly asked to pray for him. On December 28, he visited his predecessor in a former monastery in the Vatican where the Pope Emeritus resided following his resignation.

Pope Francis calls Benedict noble, kind man who was gift to the world https://t.co/GGv6DhJYFV pic.twitter.com/NH8DxDv4iK

— Reuters (@Reuters) December 31, 2022

The funeral ritual has not yet been defined since there was no precedent of burying a Pope Emeritus. According to the Repubblica newspaper, Pope Francis may conduct a funeral service, the farewell may last several days and the funeral will be attended by spiritual and political leaders.

A source in the Vatican told a TASS correspondent that the funeral ritual will be the same as for a sitting Pope since technically Benedict is “the head of state”.