Rome.
Pope Benedict leaves an appeal in his will. This is how the Catholic Church is planning his funeral and the future of the ministry.
The white and yellow flags of the Vatican are at half-mast, believers gather on St. Peter’s Square with flowers in hand, dozens of camera teams are filming the events: Rome is preparing for the burial of Benedict XVI before. Pope Francis will celebrate Mass for his predecessor Joseph Ratzinger in St. Peter’s Basilica. 60,000 believers and international delegations – mainly from Italy and Germany – are expected.
For the Catholic Church, this funeral is an unprecedented event. Because so far no incumbent pope in church history had ever buried a predecessor who, moreover, Vatican lived.
The Burial: Benedict would like to be buried with Pope John Paul II
The death of a head of the Catholic Church draws well-defined ceremonial procedures after himself. In the case of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. However, the Vatican protocol is breaking new ground. Many questions still remain unanswered. According to Ratzinger’s own wishes, the funeral should take place “under the sign of simplicity”, it should be “solemn but sober”. The entire protocol is somewhat simplified compared to the funeral of an incumbent pope.
But even though Benedict was no longer head of state, despite his sensational resignation on February 11, 2013, he was still pope and the Vatican will give him the honors he deserves. Over 1,000 security forces and 500 members of the civil defense are deployed to regulate the flow of pilgrims to St. Peter’s Basilica, where Benedict’s body will be laid out from Monday. The airspace over Rome will be closed on the day of the funeral.
Benedict is to be buried after the funeral service in the Vatican Grottoes of St. Peter’s Basilica. His biographer Peter Seewald made it public in 2020 that the Pope Emeritus would like a burial there in the former grave of his predecessor John Paul II. After the Polish Pope’s beatification in 2011, his body was reburied in a chapel in the aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica.
The will: Benedict asks forgiveness for his mistakes
In his spiritual testament, which was published after his death, Benedict asked for forgiveness for his mistakes and lovingly remembered his Bavarian homeland. “I pray that our country remains a country of faith and I ask you, dear compatriots: do not let your faith dissuade you. Stand firm in the faith! Don’t let yourself be confused!’.
With the death of Benedict, the coexistence of two popes, unprecedented in church history, which lasted almost ten years, comes to an end. Even after Benedict’s announcement of his resignation in Latin in 2013, he never took off the white robe of the pope, he operated as “papa emerito”. Since he repeatedly spoke up as a scholar and theologian, there were repeated unpleasant incidents.
The relationship between the two popes: not always without tension
Occasionally, Benedict chimed in with contributions on the big issues of the Church, producing analyzes that sparked controversy and often embarrassed Francis, such as his thoughts on the abuse crisis and celibacy. The number two in the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, also had to emphasize from time to time that there is only one pontiff who is endowed with papal authority – namely Francis.
However, assumptions about divergences between Pope Francis and his predecessor have always been firmly rejected in the Vatican. Their relationship was characterized by “continuity in the teaching profession and particularities in pastoral dealings”. Until the very end, Francis had regularly visited his predecessor.
Will Pope Francis resign?
Benedict’s surprising resignation 2013 was a revolutionary and groundbreaking decision that his successor Francis could also follow should his health deteriorate. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper ABC published a few days ago, the Argentine pontiff said that back in 2013 he had signed a letter of resignation in the event that one day he would no longer be able to perform his duties. “In case of incapacity for medical reasons or whatever, here is my resignation,” he told then-Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone. So far he had never communicated this decision to the public.
Francis celebrated his 86th birthday on December 17 and appears to be in good health except for a knee problem Health. However, his condition has worsened since undergoing intestinal surgery in July 2021. Because of arthrosis, the Pope often sits in a wheelchair. However, he refuses knee surgery because he is still feeling the negative effects of the last anesthetic. He also does not want to have a prosthesis fitted. However, his grievances should not prevent him from attending celebrations for his tenth pontificate anniversary next March.
It is considered unlikely that Francis could step down in the next few months. From January 31 to February 5, 2023 are even demanding visits planned in the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan.
In the future, a resigned pope should behave differently
The discussion about the right retirement behavior will flare up again in the Church after Benedict’s death. It cannot be ruled out that Francis could soon publish rules on the behavior of a pope emeritus. The resigned should use his old family name again, and clothing and residence would also have to be regulated. The Vatican wants to avoid unpleasant controversies in the future.
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