Page 21 - Queen Sofia News Today

European royals turned out for the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI held in St Peters Square at the Vatican City. The 95-year-old Pontif died on Saturday in the Vatican monastery

Pope Benedict XVI "spread and testified to" the Gospel his entire life, Pope Francis told the people gathered for his predecessor's funeral.

Pope Benedict XVI “spread and testified to” the Gospel his entire life, Pope Francis told tens of thousands of people gathered Jan. 5 for his predecessor’s funeral Mass.

Benedict, the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position, died aged 95 on Dec. 31 at a monastery in Vatican City.

As is traditional for pontiffs, the body of the Pope emeritus will be placed in three separate coffins, the first of cypress wood, which in turn goes in a zinc coffin and then a second wooden casket.

The Vatican has announced that the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI will be a “solemn but simple” ceremony, reflecting the wishes of the deceased Pontiff.

The UKs highest representative at the funeral of controversial Pope Benedict XVI will be Education Secretary Gillian Keegan - with no members of the royal family expected to attend.

The ceremony will be a rare example of a Pope's funeral being officiated by his predecessor and will be available to stream live online.

Pope Francis will preside at the requiem Mass and impart the final blessing before the burial of Benedict XVI at a solemn ceremony marked by simplicity in St. Peter’s Square on the morning of Jan. 5.

Could it be that the Vatican didn’t want present at the funeral a man who so cynically uses the Catholic faith to get votes, while ignoring its actual content?