The ceremony began at 9:24 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, in front of tens of thousands of faithful, presided over by Pope Francis.
Funeral Mass for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI It began at 9:24 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, in front of tens of thousands of faithful, presided over by Pope Francis and celebrated by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re.
In the center of the atrium of Vatican Square, the remains of the Pope Emeritus, who died last Saturday at the age of 95, have been placed after a procession from the basilica and after this Wednesday, at the closing of a burning chapel some nearly 200,000 people have visitedwere, as tradition requires, placed in a coffin of cypress wood.
Pope Francis He arrived in a wheelchair fifteen minutes before the procession and sat at the altar in an armchair specially placed for him.
The mass is presided over by Francis, but celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, the Italian Giovanni Battista Re, and celebrated by some 120 cardinals, 400 bishops and 4,000 priests.
The ceremony will last almost three hours (until about 11:15), after which the coffin of the Pope Emeritus will be transferred to the crypt of the Basilica of Saint Peter to be buried in the tomb that belonged to John Paul II, at the express wish of the German pope.
Benedict XVI’s personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, and the four women of the Memores Domini Institute who have presided over him during this time, sit in the front row, on one side of the high altar.
Strong police force
Vatican City is armored with security agents and already tonight an intense movement of worshipers, tourists and curious people has been observed. At 06:00, entry into St. Peter’s Square was allowed for the faithful, who slowly and orderly began to take their places.
To access the Plaza de San Pedro it is necessary pass checks and through a metal detector, and all parked vehicles have been closed to traffic and removed from the streets adjacent to the Vatican.
According to the security plan approved by the police of the Italian capital, the airspace in the entire area will be closed and helicopters, snipers, special forces including those for counter-terrorism, firefighters and municipal police have been made available. In total there are more than 1,000 agents.
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Source: EITB
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
