#PopeBenedictXVI: Thousands of faithful chant “Saint Now”–“Santo Subito” at the funeral
A moving moment as Pope Francis placed his hand on the coffin of his predecessor, friend and counsellor, late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican city as the body of the late pontiff is moved to the Vatican crypt for burial. Pope Francis bowed his head in final blessings and prayers infront of some fifty thousand mourners from allover the world.
Close to the end of the historic mass, faithful brandished a banner and even chanted
“Santo Subito” — “Saint Now!” at the St. Peter’s Square, an area that was colonized by thousands of mourners earlier this January 5, 2023.
During the requiem mass that brought together four thousand priests, four hundred and fifty Bishops, hundreds of State personalities, royalties, representatives of organisations, religious leaders from other churches and mourners and well wishers from all corners of the world, Pope Francis commended his predecessor into the loving hands of God the Father.
Pope Francis was presiding over the funeral mass of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at Vatican alongside Cardinal Giovanni Battista. Amongst other celebrants was Nigerian-born, Cardinal Francis Arinze, one time Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s one-time liturgy prefect meanwhile the late Pope’s personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein kissed the coffin in one of the most emotional moments of the funeral.
The Homily
To pay homage to his friend and retired predecessor, Pope Francis presided over the funeral mass Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican in what many described as an unprecedented event in the modern catholic church
In his homily, the Pope calls Benedict a ‘faithful friend’ of Jesus.”
This was in one of the closing main highlights of the mass when the Pope said
“Together, we want to say: ‘Father, into your hands we commend his spirit’.
Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever!”
Pope Francis further commended the late religious leader who served the Roman catholic church faithfully for 71 years to God the Father
“We commend our brother into the hands of the Father. May those merciful hands find his lamp alight with the oil of the Gospel that he spread and testified to for his entire life.”
“Holding fast to the Lord’s last words and to the witness of His entire life, we too want to follow in His steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father.”
Pope Francis further noted during this emotional part of the pontifical mass that “The Lord wins in the end”
As the bells of St Peter’s Basilica toll, the faithful at the Pope’s funeral applauded as his casket is carried into out for preparation for burial later
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be buried in the crypt beneath St. Peter’s Basilica in an area that was once occupied by the coffin of his predecessor Pope John Paul II.
The simple wooden casket will be sealed in a zinc coffin and placed into an oak case – before he is laid to rest this Thursday, January 5, 2023.
Pope Francis celebration of the life of an emeritus Pope who resigned in 2013 makes him the first to preside over a funeral Mass for a predecessor who resigned.
Funeral masses have been said all over the world in Roman catholic style meanwhile religious leaders have joined to pray for the repost of the celebrated Pope. Head of States, Royalties amongst many others were either present or sent in their representatives meanwhile millions of condolences messages were sent to the Holy See since Saturday, December 31 when the Pope died at age 95.
The late Pope Benedict XVI was born to a German man, Joseph Ratzinger and has been the 265th Pope in the history of the catholic church
