The world at Benedict XVI’s funeral in St Peter's Square
“Feeding means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God’s truth, of God’s word, the nourishment of his presence,” said Pope Francis quoting Pope Benedict XVI’s own words from the first day of his Petrine ministry. Around 120 cardinals were present at the service, including 15 from Asia. The mortal remains were laid to rest in the Vatican crypt where John Paul II was first buried.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) – The wooden casket in front of St Peter's Basilica with the book of Gospels on top is the image that marked this morning’s funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The late pontiff led the Church from 2005 to 2013, followed by almost ten years of silent prayer in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican after he renounced the Petrine ministry.
Some 50,000 filled St Peter’s Square today after some 200,000 people paid homage to his remains in the past few days. Pope Francis presided over the service, assisted by the Dean of the Sacred College, Card Giovanni Battista Re, with next to them as many as 120 cardinals from all over the world.
The 15 who came from Asia included 90-year-old Bishop Emeritus Joseph Zen-kiun of Hong Kong; Chaldean Patriarch Louis Sako and Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rahi; the major archbishops of the Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara Churches; Card Felipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Goa and head of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (Latin Rite), and Card Giorgio Marengo, the young apostolic prefect of Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia).
Numerous representatives of other Churches were also present, including from the Patriarchate of Moscow. Benedict XVI’ personal secretary, Bishop Georg Gänswein and members of the Memores Domini Institute were seated near the casket. The latter were part of the Pope Emeritus’s entourage in his last few years. Two delegations representing the Italian and German governments, the latter from the late pontiff’s native country, were also in the front row.
Inspired by the words of Jesus on the cross “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”, Pope Francis in his homily urged the faithful to see in Joseph Ratzinger’s life and death the “self-entrustment into the hands of his Father. His were hands of forgiveness and compassion, healing and mercy, anointing and blessing, which led him also to entrust himself into the hands of his brothers and sisters.”
Speaking about the shepherd who imitated Jesus, Francis underlined Benedict XVI’s “grateful devotion, in service to the Lord and to his people”, his “prayerful devotion, a devotion silently shaped and refined amid the challenges and resistance that every pastor must face”, and the “devotion sustained by the consolation of the Spirit, who always precedes the pastor in his mission.”
Central to the homily were Benedict XVI’s own words from the Mass at the start of his pontificate on 24 April 2005. “Feeding,” Francis said, “means loving, and loving also means being ready to suffer. Loving means giving the sheep what is truly good, the nourishment of God’s truth, of God’s word, the nourishment of his presence”.
“Holding fast to the Lord’s last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to 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”.
“God’s faithful people, gathered here, now accompany and entrust to him the life of the one who was their pastor. Like the women at the tomb, we too have come with the fragrance of gratitude and the balm of hope, in order to show him once more the love that is undying. We want to do this with the same wisdom, tenderness and devotion that he bestowed upon us over the years. Together, we want to say: ‘Father, into your hands we commend his spirit’.”
In concluding, Francis addressed his predecessor: “Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete as you hear his voice, now and forever!”
Following the funeral service, Pope Francis prayed for a while, his hands touching Benedict XVI’s casket for the blessing, while the cry “Santo subito!” (Sainthood now!) rose from the crowd in St Peter's Square (the same happened at Pope John Paul II’s funeral).
Following the cardinals’ procession, the mortal remains were carried into the basilica where they were privately buried in the Vatican crypt. By Benedict XVI’S express will they will rest in the same tomb where Saint John Paul II was buried until he was moved to the Altar of St Sebastian at his beatification in 2011.
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14/01/2023 14:45
