Former Pope Benedict XVI had died, at the age of 95. The pope had stepped down from his papal role as he was ill. He became the first pope to resign since 1415, when Gregory XII had resigned. He passed away, on Saturday at 09:34 at his residence, in the Vatican. He was staying at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican.
A single bell rang from St. Peter’s Square, in Rome after the announcement of his death. The bells at Munich cathedral also rang in his honor as Benedict XVI was from Germany. Following his death, people gathered at St. Peter’s Square. From Monday morning, January 2, at 9 a.m. his body will be placed at the St. Peter’s Basilica so “the faithful can pay their respects,” according to the Holy See Press Office.
Several prominent church and world leaders have praised the pope and expressed their condolences. Some of them include the current pope Francis, Archbishop of Canterbury, the Cardinal of England and Wales, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church and other religious leaders.
Several world leaders including King Charles III, President Biden, President Emmanuel Macron, President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Chancellor Olaf Scholz and others offered their condolences.
Earlier on December 28, Pope Francis had invited people to pray for Pope Benedict VI as he was “very ill.” The Pope Emeritus had “received the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at the end of the mass,” according to Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office.
Pope Benedict XVI was considered to be a great theologian but had also been dodged by controversy due to the alleged sweeping of child molestation by priests that had occurred in Catholic churches for decades. Some of child abuse cases that had been mishandled took place between 1977 and 1982, when he was the Archbishop of Munich.
Archbishop Benedict became Pope Benedict XVI when he was 75 years old. He resigned almost a decade ago in 2013, due to ill health and was succeeded by Pope Francis, who is said to have a more tolerant attitude.
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