Hours after the death Saturday of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Pope Francis praised his “noble” predecessor and expressed gratitude for his life of faith and prayers, especially those offered in the nearly 10 years since the shy churchman dramatically became the first pontiff in centuries to retire from the papacy.
In his first public comments about Benedict since the Vatican announced his midmorning death in the monastery where the former pontiff lived out his last years, Francis spoke of his feelings over the passing, adding to tributes that poured in for his predecessor throughout the day.
Earlier, the Vatican said Benedict will have the simple funeral he wanted, when Francis on Thursday morning will celebrate Mass in St. Peter’s Square. Biden also recalled Benedict's 2008 visit to the White House, saying the then pontiff had remarked that "'the need for global solidarity is as urgent as ever, if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity.' May his focus on the ministry of charity continue to be an inspiration to us all."
While pope, Benedict was head of state, since the Vatican is an independent city state. But with no such role at the time of his death, the Vatican's funeral details reflected a scaling back of pomp and protocol. Starting on Monday morning, the faithful will be able to file by his body in St. Peter's Basilica, and viewing will also be held on Tuesday and Wednesday.
At that midmorning hour, hundreds of tourists were admiring a towering Christmas tree in the square, many unaware that Benedict had died in his secluded residence in the Vatican Gardens. Poland is a heavily Roman Catholic country where a conservative government is in power. President Andrzej Duda tweeted that Benedict is “one of the most outstanding theologians of the 20th and 21st century.” He called Benedict’s teachings a “guidepost among the many winding and deceptive paths of the contemporary world."
U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said that Benedict's “urgent appeals to close the widening gap between rich and poor are more relevant than ever.”