- Antoinette Radford and David Ghiglione
- From London and Rome to BBC News
4 hours ago
Credit, PA Media
The Catholic Church has strict protocols to follow after the death of its leader.
As the health of the former Pope Benedict XVI. deteriorated, it is unclear whether the same protocols would apply to a retired pope known to be emeritus.
When he retired in 2013 for reasons of age, Benedict XVI. the first pope to resign from office in 600 years.
Born Joseph Ratzinger, the German cardinal was elected in April 2005 and chose the name Benedict.
Two popes have lived together in the Vatican for almost a decade. Since his resignation, Benedict has lived in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens and occasionally appears alongside his successor, Pope Francis.
“There has never been anything like it, a situation where a living pope helps bury a dead pope,” said Catholic historian John McGreevy.
Not even the Middle Ages offer a model, because when Gregory XII. When he resigned in 1415, he wanted to end years of division with rival opponents of the papacy.
Credit, Ratzinger Foundation
caption,
This is believed to be the latest photograph of Benedict XVI. is it was recorded on December 1, 2022 during a Ratzinger Prize ceremony
When a pope dies, his death is usually confirmed and foreign heads of state are informed informally before Vatican Radio breaks the news.
The person who runs the Vatican between the death of a pope and the election of his successor is called “Camerlengo” currently Cardinal Kevin Farrell. But since Benedict is no longer pope, some of the cardinal’s duties may no longer be appropriate.
Normally, the Camerlegno’s job is to officially certify the Pope’s death traditionally he has to hit the Pope three times with a small silver hammer and call his name.
He would also oversee the destruction of the pope’s fishing ring, seal the papal apartments, organize the funeral, and prepare a conclave to elect his successor.
Since Francis is already Pope, there is considerable uncertainty as to what the Camerlegno will do.
A papal funeral is usually presided over by the Dean of the College of Cardinals, currently Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. But in this case, the expectation is that Pope Francis will celebrate the funeral. The ceremony usually takes place in St. Peter’s Basilica or in the square in front of it.
The Pope is then buried in the grotto beneath the basilica.
Each pope can set his own burial arrangements and although Benedict’s family is buried in Germany, his biographer Peter Seewald said he wanted to be buried in the tomb that belonged to his predecessor, John Paul II, before he died, canonized and moved elsewhere be convicted in the country Vatican.
The most important ritual after the death of a pope the election of a successor does not take place.
However, the exact protocols the Vatican will follow are unclear as the Catholic Church has yet to release any public information.
Credit, Vatican Pool
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Benedict XVI meets regularly with Pope Francis (right)
Italian writer and journalist specializing in the Vatican, Massimo Franco, told the BBC that all procedures would have to be “written from scratch” and that after Benedict’s resignation in 2013 the Catholic Church did not specify what to do in the case his death.
He also warned that the eventual death of Benedict XVI. could have unforeseen consequences for the papacy, such as the normalization of a pope’s resignation.
“For some within the Catholic Church, Benedict’s resignation represents a unique circumstance that need never be repeated.”
“For others it could set a precedent and therefore be repeated. But that remains a big question mark, as does everything surrounding Benedict’s death and funeral.”
Since Benedict XVI. was previously the head of state of Vatican City — an independent citystate surrounded by Rome and ruled by the Pope — it’s possible there will be a stately honors funeral with foreign leaders invited. But this is still an open question.