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The current Pope, Francis, praised Benedict’s courage to step aside and said it “opened the door” for other popes to do the same. About 50,000 people attended Thursday’s mass, according to the Vatican, after about 200,000 paid their respects during three days of public viewing.
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Only Italy and Germany were invited to send official delegations, but other leaders accepted the Vatican’s offer and arrived in their “private capacity”. They included several heads of state, at least four prime ministers and two delegations of royal representatives. In addition, a host of priests joined 125 cardinals in pews by the altar, and the Russian Orthodox Church sent its foreign envoy.