Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has been laid to rest in Vatican City in the first funeral ever conducted by a sitting pope for his predecessor.
Pope Francis, who has led the Catholic Church since his election in 2013, following Benedict’s surprise resignation, led the funeral Mass yesterday.
The historic funeral capped a chapter of Catholic Church history marked notably by Benedict’s decision to step down — the first pontiff to do so in modern times. Benedict died last week.
Former Pope Benedict XVI, first pope in centuries to resign, died at age 95.
The German-born pontiff never wanted to lead the Catholic Church, and he may be best remembered for the way he died.
Up to 100,000 people were expected to crowd into St. Peter’s Square for the Mass, which was conducted in a manner similar to how it would be for a sitting pope.
The body of Pope Emeritus Benedict was carried before crowds in a traditional cypress wood coffin Thursday morning and placed before the ancient St. Peter’s Basilica. It was a solemn occasion, as well as a historic one.
Among the tens of thousands gathered in the shadow of St. Peter’s were more than 100 cardinals, 400 bishops and almost 4,000 priests from all over the world.
“He was a great pope,” said Father Calistus Kahale Kabindama, a priest who came all the way from Zambia to pay his respects. “He was a marvelous pope.”
The late pontiff had requested a simple funeral, and Pope Francis did not deviate from the notably-brief homily, which was heavy on scripture but light on personal touches.
At the end of the Mass, cardinals accompanied the retired pontiff’s casket into the grottoes below St. Peter’s Basilica, where he was buried, concluding the somber funeral and the nearly decade-long chapter during which there were two men in white robes at the Vatican.
The extremely rare circumstances meant this passing of a pontiff brought none of the typical uncertainty about “who is coming after him,” CBS News Vatican consultant Monsignor Anthony Figueiredo said.
Figueiredo said Benedict XVI would be “remembered as a great intellectual.”
Buried along with Benedict’s body were coins minted during his papacy, and a one-page written historical account of his life, which notes his studies, research and retirement. It also notes that he lived out his later years, “in prayer and meditation.”
