U.S. President Joe Biden says that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI “will be remembered as a renowned theologian, with a lifetime of devotion to the Church, guided by his principles and faith.”
More on the death of Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI:WASHINGTON --
“I also recall his constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill to all people, and to strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church,” Charles said in a message to Pope Francis on Saturday.WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has praised Benedict as “a global leader whose devotion, scholarship and hopeful message stirred the hearts of people of all faiths.
Italian security officials estimate some 60,000 people will attend Thursday’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square, state TV reported. That’s far fewer than the estimated 300,000 who attended the 2005 funeral for St. John Paul II.VATICAN CITY -- The Vatican says that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s body will be on public display in St. Peter’s Basilica starting Monday for the faithful to pay their final respects.
She pointed to Benedict’s interest in relations with Orthodox Christians and in dialog with Jews and Muslims. “He was humble in the Bavarian way,” Pastor Klaus Metzl told The Associated Press. “We all knew what he could do and how much he knew, but he never bragged about it.” The state government in Bavaria ordered that flags on regional government buildings be flown at half-staff Saturday and on the day of Benedict’s funeral.JERUSALEM — The death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is beihg marked in the holy city of Jerusalem and elsewhere in the region.
Parish priest Gabriel Romanelli said that “people saw signs of his humility when he submitted his resignation.” He said that “this gave people the feeling that this is a humble and simple man with all the difficulties of the world, and he was an example to follow.” He noted that Benedict was close to his Polish-born predecessor, St. John Paul II, who remains a much-revered figure in Poland.MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin has described Pope Benedict XVI as “a prominent religious figure and statesman a staunch defender of traditional Christian values.”
He said that he was affected by the news of the retired pontiff’s death -- “although it must be said that, according to his own statements, he has now been able to prepare for this stage for 10 years, in prayer and devotion.”LONDON -- Ireland’s president has paid tribute to the late Pope Benedict XVI, highlighting his interest in promoting peace in Northern Ireland.
The organization noted that Benedict had “paid homage in Auschwitz” to the victims of the Holocaust and had made an official visit to Israel. Mattarella said that “his sweetness and his wisdom had benefited our community and the entire international community.” Eidsvig told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that “He masters all the theological subjects. I cannot think of anyone else who does.”ROME — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has called Pope Benedict XVI a “giant of faith and reason” that history will never forget.
Scholz said on Twitter Saturday that “as the ‘German’ pope, Benedict XVI was a special church leader for many, not just in this country.”