The burning chapel of Pope emeritus Benedict XVI, passed away last saturday At 95 years old, it opens for the third day after some 135,000 people have been able to say their last goodbye to the pontiff and awaiting the funeral that will be held next Thursday.
During this day they will go to the burning chapel in the Vatican the Queen Sofía and the Minister of the Presidency, Relations with the Courts and Democratic Memory, Félix Bolaños. As confirmed by the Government, it will be at 6:00 p.m. in the afternoon.
In addition, both will attend the funeral on Thursday, together with the Spanish ambassador to the Holy See, Isabel Celaá, which will be presided over by Pope Francis and which will also be attended by the staff of the Spanish Episcopal Conference. Polish President Andrzej Duda; the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; and King Felipe of Belgium, are other personalities who have also confirmed attendance.
The unprecedented circumstance occurs that on this occasion it will be a pope who celebrates the obsequies of another pope. Although due to Jorge Bergoglio’s mobility problems it is likely that he will concelebrate with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, and the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re.
Secondly, it will not be a state funeral, as he is not a “reigning” pontiff, although he will have official delegations from Italy and Ratzinger’s native Germany, and other authorities may attend but must do so in their personal capacity. It should be remembered that Joseph Ratzinger was in 2013 the first pontiff to resign in the last six centuries.
Nothing has yet been confirmed about the rite of the liturgy, which may have some variations due to the “emeritus” status of Benedict XVI, but some sources say that Francis’s will is to pay homage to his predecessor with all the honors, as well that it is probable that, for example, the coffin with the remains of Joseph Ratzinger goes through the Door of Death, one of the five doors of the Basilica of San Pedro that is used for the coffins of the popes to pass through.
Later, the body of Benedict XVI will be buried in a cypress coffin in the crypt of Saint Peter’s Basilica. Three elements will be introduced into it: commemorative coins to his pontificate; a text that describes the main events of his pontificate, in a metallic cylinder, and palls corresponding to his episcopal dignity. Not being the current Pontiff, he will not be buried with insignia of the Popes such as the ring or the pastoral cross.
The tomb chosen by himself has been the one that received the remains of John Paul IIempty since his body was transferred to a chapel in Saint Peter’s Basilica on the occasion of his beatification in May 2011.
Source: Lasexta
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