The German-born pope was the first head of the Catholic Church to step down in six hundred years. He submitted his resignation for health reasons in 2013.
Former Pope Benedict XIV died in the Mater Ecclesiae convent in the Vatican. He had lived in the monastery for nine years. For years, the position has been for life. The last time the pope abdicated was in 1415.
Through Pope Benedictus, the reform pressures of the Catholic Church were overshadowed by large-scale scandals about the abuse of minors by Catholic priests.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz offered his condolences to the German-born Pope
Condolences have started pouring into the Vatican from different parts of the world.
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz said in his tweet that the Pope was a special leader of the Church for both Germans and others. According to him, “the world lost a thoroughly argumentative, powerful personality and a wise theologian”. Pope Emeritus was born as Joseph Ratzinger in Bavaria in 1927.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak characterized the former pope as a “great theologian”. According to Sunak, the Pope’s visit to Britain in 2010 was a historic moment for both Catholics and members of other denominations.
There is no record of the funeral
The coffin of the former leader of the Catholic Church will be brought to St. Peter’s Church on Monday. Funeral planning begins in the Vatican. The church state’s instructions apply to the funeral of a pope who has served in office. Ceremonies are more modest for those who have resigned.
The funeral of the incumbent pope was organized in 2005. At that time, more than a million people attended the funeral mass of Pope John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square.
Reuters, AFP