Much Bavarian, cold weather, early vigil and communion even for journalists on the colonnades of St. Peter’s Basilica: this is how the Requiem played for the former Pope Benedict XVI. behind the scenes of the Vatican.
The sun was barely up when the first believers put their backpacks in the metal detectors between the columns that surround St. Peter’s Square. The queues were relatively short. “We had to wait 15 minutes twice,” say visitors from Styria.
Many, very many came from Germany and especially from Bavaria to say goodbye to “their” pope, Joseph Ratzinger. Nuns, priests, archers, Catholic fraternity students with colorful caps, flags and standards. In the front sat cardinals and heads of state on padded seats.
Anyone who was on St. Peter’s Square around 8:30 a.m. could look forward to a seat. However, it was not comfortable: the summery weather of the past few days had given way to a damp, nasty cold.
Suddenly heads turned in the journalists’ gallery: a marching band marched towards one of the entrances. The funeral service began with the Rosary.
Dozens of spectators turned white and red as the visiting pastors donned their robes. In St. Peter’s Basilica, Ratzinger’s body was placed in a simple coffin made of cypress wood. His private secretary Georg Gänswein kissed him, bearers brought the coffin to the square. Pope Francis was wheeled up a white ramp in a wheelchair.
“May Your Joy Be Complete”
The mass was almost like the burial of a sitting pope. “Benedict, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be complete when you hear his voice definitively and forever,” Pope Francis said at the end of the homily.
Cheers erupted at the end. Ratzinger’s final journey was back to the crypt of St. Peter’s where so many other popes lie. The brass band started a song, blue and white flags waved.
Mass “too impersonal”?
Not everyone was happy with the ceremony. A priest finds the Requiem ‘impersonal’. However, the Archbishop of Vienna and Cardinal Christoph Schönborn described it as “in the style of the Pope Emeritus”.
Less than an hour after the mass, St. Peter’s Square emptied. The Carabinieri gave way abruptly. “Watch out, boys” and “Goodbye”, a group of German clergymen hear. How long will it be before they can say “We are pope” again?
Comment: Communion even for the journalists who have traveled
Admittedly, we have a very privileged job. With the small yellow press accreditation, you can comfortably walk to the front of St. Peter’s Basilica until shortly before mass, and eventually find yourself standing on a balcony between figures of saints, with a view of busy St. Peter’s Square.
But this is not a completely normal media event. You notice this not only by the fact that there are no coffee or armchairs, but also by the official dress code. Black dress, black stockings – this applies to ladies. Dark suit with tie for men. The former adhere to it, at least temporarily.
But above all the most striking thing: community. Two priests take an extremely rickety-looking elevator to the journalist colonnade to the left of St. Peter’s Basilica. Without God’s blessing, they would surely have to fear for their lives. From golden chalices they present the body of Christ to the Catholic reporters. As the saying goes? Right there in the middle instead of just!
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
