Pope Francis, second from left, watches Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI enter St. Peter's Basilica accompanied by Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, right, at the Vatican, on Dec. 8, 2015.Â
Pope Francis, second from left, watches Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI enter St. Peter's Basilica accompanied by Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, right, at the Vatican, on Dec. 8, 2015.Â
VATICAN CITY � There was no tolling of the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica, no solemn announcement by a Vatican monsignor to the faithful in the square. A fisherman’s ring did not get smashed and the diplomatic corps were not mobilized to send official delegations to Rome.
The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed in an entirely un-papal-like manner Saturday, with a two-sentence announcement from the Vatican press office, making clear once and for all that Benedict stopped being pope a decade ago. The rituals of his passing were less like the ones of a pontiff, monarch or Vicar of Christ on Earth and more akin to those of a retired bishop, even if he will be buried in the red vestments of a pope.
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI � who died Saturday at the age of 95 � played a pivotal role in strengthening relations between the Catholic Church and Jewish people, says Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
Pope emeritus Benedict XVI � who died Saturday at the age of 95 � played a pivotal role in strengthening relations between the Catholic Church and Jewish people, says Rabbi Abraham Cooper of the Simon Wiesenthal Center.
