Tuesday, January 3, 2023 | 5:59 p.m.
More than 130,000 people said goodbye between Monday and Tuesday to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died on Saturday at the age of 95 in the Vatican, while presidents and representatives of monarchies from at least 10 European countries have already confirmed their presence at the funeral that will be held on Thursday Pope Francis in the Vatican to bid farewell to his predecessor.
More than 70,000 people who greeted the body of Joseph Ratzinger in St. Peter’s Basilica on Tuesday join the 65,000 on Monday, in numbers that exceed previous estimates, the Vatican reported.
This Wednesday, the Basilica will reopen its doors for the “last goodbye” to Benedict XVI between 7:00 and 19:00 locally.
Regarding the funeral, “the basis is the ceremony for a supreme pontiff, with some original elements and others that are missing, those that characterize a reigning pontiff,” papal spokesman Matteo Bruni told the press today, referring to the unprecedented event. farewell to a pope emeritus, as Joseph Ratzinger was since his resignation from the pontificate in February 2013.
In this framework, the leaders of Italy, Sergio Mattarella, and of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, will be the only two who will attend at the head of official delegations, according to the Vatican. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will also lead the delegation from Benedict XVI’s native country.
On the other hand, “in a personal capacity”, they have already confirmed their attendance at the funeral, the first in the modern era in which an acting Pope will bid farewell to one emeritus, the emeritus queen of Spain, Sofía; King Felipe VI and Queen Margherita of Belgium.
Although it will not be considered a “state” funeral, since Ratzinger was not the reigning pope at the time of his death, thousands of people are expected to come to watch the act anyway.
