Pope Francis leads the service marking the World Day of Peace at St Peter's Basilica, in The Vatican on January 1, 2023. AFP PHOTO VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis hailed the...
Pope Francis leads the service marking the World Day of Peace at St Peter's Basilica, in The Vatican on January 1, 2023. AFP PHOTO VATICAN CITY: Pope Francis hailed the 'beloved' Benedict XVI in New Year's Day services on Sunday as the Vatican released the first pictures of the former pontiff following his death at the age of 95.
Simple, humble man' Benedict's funeral will be 'solemn but simple,' the Vatican has said, after which he will be buried in the papal tombs under St Peter's Basilica. The last papal funeral, of John Paul II in 2005, drew a million faithful and heads of state from around the world, although Benedict was a more divisive figure.
Two men in white Tributes to the ex-pontiff have poured in from around the world, from Catholic US President Joe Biden, who praised Benedict's 'devotion to the Church', to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who hailed him as a 'defender of traditional Christian values.' His death brought to an end an unprecedented situation in which two 'men in white' — Benedict and Francis — had co-existed within the walls of the tiny city-state.