The body of former Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican
Today, Pope Francis paid tribute to his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday at the age of 95.
“Today we hand over our beloved Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI to the Holy Mother to accompany him on his way to God,” Pope Francis said at a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. Today, the Argentine Pope will lead the weekly prayer of the Angelus, in front of the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, reports AFP.
Benedict XVI, whose secular name is Joseph Ratzinger, is the first German pope in modern history, and in 2013 he renounced his papal duties and retired to a monastery in the Vatican Gardens. He was elected pope in 2005, after the death of Ivan Paul II.
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Benedict XVI died on Saturday, and Pope Francis will preside over the funeral on Thursday morning, where several thousand believers are expected.
Source: euronews
