Farewell to Benedict XVI: “A great historical moment”

Believers can say goodbye to Benedict XVI until Wednesday. take in St. Peter’s Basilica. Visitors should expect a four-hour wait. But it is worth it to them to pay their last respects to the former head of the church.

Some believers came in the middle of the night, but most of them came when it was getting light on St. Peter’s Square. “We got here at 7:30 a.m., so the line was pretty short. When they opened the church doors, it was 9:06 a.m. and we were at the body at around 9:26 a.m. So it all went pretty quickly and smoothly ” says Mountain Piutoric.

The American-born, who has lived in Rome for the past ten years, is one of many who have set out today to pay tribute to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. to pay one’s last respects. Early that morning his body had been taken to St. Peter’s Basilica in a minibus from the former convent where he had lived for the past ten years. There he lies in front of the great sanctuary, dressed in a red and gold robe, with a miter on his head and a rosary in his hands.

Queues are getting longer and longer

Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella was with him shortly before 9 a.m. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni was also among the mourners. The queues in front of the church got longer and longer, but it was still important for the Roman Andrea to come.

“It means a lot to us to have a point of reference for the doctrine, for the faith,” he says. Benedict XVI was a great theologian. “He managed to communicate with the masses, with everyone, at every level. He was a great man and I think it’s fitting to pay tribute to him.”

Also visitors from Germany

People now have to allow around four hours to get to Benedikt. The authorities expect up to 35,000 believers a day, the basilica is open every day until 7 p.m. Men, women and children have also traveled from Germany, such as Tassilo Wanner from Augsburg.

“I think it’s a great historical moment to be able to say goodbye to a German pope,” says Wanner. “And someone who gave the world a lot, taught us how faith and reason belong together in the 21st century.”

Close friends said goodbye

The emeritus pope died in the Vatican on New Year’s Eve. Until yesterday evening, close employees and confidants had said goodbye to him in the house chapel. Now everyone can pay their last respects until Wednesday evening. Just like Immacolata. “For me, he has never been away. He has always been our pope, so I think we owe him that homage,” she says.

She doesn’t know any other pope and isn’t afraid to admit it. “I think the Church is in danger with Francis and that’s why I want to pay tribute to Benedict.”

Pope Francis holds Mass

The funeral service will take place on Thursday morning in St. Peter’s Square, and Pope Francis will hold it. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has already announced that many German bishops will also be there. From Bavaria, his homeland, companions of Benedict XVI. as well as Prime Minister Markus Söder.

It’s a big event, not only for Catholics, as Marina from Rome admits. “I’m not really Catholic. I’m just here to be part of a historic moment.”