Thousands of people come to the Vatican to be laid out
The retired Pope was laid out in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome two days after his death. A nurse is said to have heard his last words on his deathbed.
On the occasion of the laying out of the deceased former Pope Benedict XVI. thousands of believers flocked to the Vatican in St. Peter’s Basilica. As early as dawn, a long line of people formed on St. Peter’s Square who wanted to personally say goodbye to the former head of the Catholic Church. The event was accompanied by a large security presence, numerous media representatives from all over the world were on site.
“I’ve been here since 6 a.m.,” Italian nun Anna-Maria told the AFP news agency. She thinks it’s “normal to come and pay homage to him after everything he’s done for the church.”
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. died on New Year’s Eve at the age of 95. On New Year’s Day, he was first laid out in the chapel of the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican, before his body was brought to St. Peter’s Basilica in a private ceremony early Monday morning.
In St. Peter’s Basilica, the public can personally say goodbye to the Bavarian-born clergyman between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. On Tuesday and Wednesday, visitors are allowed access from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free and requires no reservation.
The first photo after his death
The Holy See had on New Year’s Eve morning after the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. published the first photos of his body. In the pictures from the chapel of the Vatican monastery Mater Ecclesiae he can be seen with a red liturgical robe. He also wears a traditional headgear, a miter. Joseph Ratzinger – Benedikt’s real name – holds a rosary in his clasped hands.
Next to him in front of the chapel altar are a decorated Christmas tree and a crib, as can be seen in the photos published on Sunday. In his speeches on Sunday and via Twitter, his successor Pope Francis mentioned him and called him a “faithful servant” of the Church.
More details about Last Words
Following the death of the Pope Emeritus, more details have emerged about his final words on his deathbed. A nurse who does not speak German heard her around 3 a.m. early Saturday morning, the Vatican’s own media portal Vatican News wrote on Sunday evening. According to his private secretary Georg Gänswein, Benedikt whispered, but it was still understandable. He said “Lord, I love you” in Italian.
“Those were his last understandable words because he couldn’t express himself afterwards,” said Gänswein, who said he wasn’t with Benedict at the time. The nurse told him about it shortly afterwards. The Argentine newspaper “La Nación” had previously reported, citing informed sources, that Benedict’s last words were “Jesus, I love you”.
AFP/SDA
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