Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI – born Joseph Ratzinger – whose resignation in 2013 took the whole world by surprise, died this Saturday, December 31 at the age of 95 in the monastery in the Vatican gardens where he had retired.
Benedict XVI, the pope who didn’t want to be pope
On this festive day for New Year’s Eve, world leaders paid tribute to the pope emeritus, as well known for his theology as for his contested conservatism.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is the first to honor this “significant figure” of the Catholic Church. “As a ‘German’ pope, Benedict XVI was for many, and not only in this country, a particular leader of the church”he said on his twitter account, also calling him a “fighting personality” and of “intelligent theologian”.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), the Portuguese António Guterres, hailed his “commitment to non-violence and peace”in a press release.
European countries pay tribute to the “theologian”
French President Emmanuel Macron also went out of his way, welcoming the efforts of the former pope in favor of a “more fraternal world”. “My thoughts are with the Catholics of France and the world, bereaved by the departure of His Holiness Benedict XVI, who worked with soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world”tweeted the head of state.
For his part, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said “saddened” by the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI: “He was a great theologian whose visit to the UK in 2010 was a historic moment for Catholics and non-Catholics in our country”he tweeted, while the Anglican Church indicated to pray in memory of the former pope.
Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s Socialist Prime Minister, hailed “a great theologian who devoted himself to the service of others, justice and peace”. “My most sincere condolences to the Catholic Church for the death of His Holiness Benedict XVI”he tweeted.
For Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the ex-pope was “a giant of Faith and Reason”as well as’“a great man from history whom history will not forget”. “I expressed to the Holy Father Francis my participation and that of the government in his pain and that of the entire ecclesial community”responded the far-right leader in a statement.
Putin salutes “a convinced defender of traditional Christian values”
Polish President Andrzej Duda recalled that Benedict XVI was “a close collaborator of Saint John Paul II”his Polish predecessor in the Vatican. “The world has lost one of the greatest theologians of the 20th and 21st centuries”he regretted on Twitter.
Benedict XVI asks “forgiveness” to the victims of paedocriminals but claims to have never covered priests
If he refused to send a greeting card to Joe Biden, Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz, Vladimir Putin paid tribute to the memory of the former pope: “Benedict XVI was an eminent religious and state figure, a convinced defender of traditional Christian values” – of which the Russian president also wants to be the apostle, he wrote in a message of condolence to Pope Francis, broadcast by the Kremlin.
Also in Russia, the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Kirill also celebrated a defender of “traditional values”. “The unquestionable authority of Benedict XVI as an eminent theologian has enabled him to make a significant contribution to the development of inter-Christian cooperation, to the witness of Christ in the face of a secularized world and to the defense of traditional moral values”he said in a statement.
Funeral presided over by Pope Francis on Thursday, January 5
The Church of England, through its spiritual leader – the Archbishop of Canterbury – has also honored the“one of the greatest theologians of his time”.
“Pope Benedict XVI was one of the greatest theologians of his time, attached to the faith of the Church and faithful to its defense. In all things, and especially in his writings and his preaching, he looked to Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God. Christ was clearly the root of his thought and the foundation of his prayer.Justin Welby said in a statement, welcoming the resignation “brave and humble” of Benedict XVI who “recognized the human frailty that affects us all. »
For its part, the Conference of Bishops of France declared that it had learned “with great sadness” the death of the former pope, recalling that he was “a great theologian” and a pope having “wanted to serve the unity of the Church”.
Pope Francis will preside over his funeral on Thursday, January 5, in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican at 9:30 a.m., the director of the Holy See’s press service announced on Saturday. His body will also be on display at St. Peter’s Basilica from Monday.
