PRELATES and politicians around the world have paid tribute to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, after his death, at the age of 95, on New Year’s Eve (News, 31 December 2022).
The Archbishop of Canterbury praised Benedict, who was pope from 2005 until his resignation in 2013, as “one of the greatest theologians of his age — committed to the faith of the Church, and stalwart in its defence. In all things, not least in his writing and his preaching, he looked to Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God. It was abundantly clear that Christ was the root of his thought and the basis of his prayer.”
Archbishop Welby described Benedict’s decision to resign as “courageous and humble”. He was the first pope in almost 600 years to step down, referring to his deteriorating “strength of mind and body” as the reason behind his decision (News, 13 February 2013).
He retained his papal name rather than reverting to his birth name, Joseph Ratzinger, and took the title “Pope Emeritus”. He also continued to live in the Vatican, staying in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery. On Saturday morning, the press office of the Holy See announced that he had died there at 8.34 a.m. GMT.
Pope Francis made his first public statement after his predecessor’s death at a mass on Saturday evening. In a homily on the theme of kindness, he said: “My thought naturally goes to dear Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who left us this morning.
“We are moved as we recall him as such a noble person, so kind. And we feel such gratitude in our hearts: gratitude to God for having given him to the Church and to the world; gratitude to him for all the good he accomplished; and, above all, for his witness of faith and prayer, especially in these last years of his recollected life.”
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, said in a statement on Saturday morning that he was “deeply saddened to learn of the death of Pope Benedict. He will be remembered as one of the great theologians of the 20th century.”
Cardinal Nichols, who is also Archbishop of Westminster, said: “I remember with particular affection the remarkable Papal Visit to these lands in 2010. We saw his courtesy, his gentleness, the perceptiveness of his mind and the openness of his welcome to everybody that he met.”
The Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, the Rt Revd Anthony Poggo, also issued a statement on Saturday, saying: “It is with great sadness that I learn of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. . . He was an inspiring and courageous teacher, preacher, and pastor. His theological wisdom has been of immense benefit not only to Catholics, but to countless faithful in other Christian traditions.
“Anglicans are deeply grateful for the wisdom we have received from Pope Emeritus Benedict, and pray as he did that in Christ we shall all be one, and that together we will share in the fullness of the resurrection,” Bishop Poggo said.
The general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Revd Professor Jerry Pillay, likewise praised Benedict’s contribution to ecumenism in a letter of condolence on Monday, in which he wrote that “the theological, pastoral and ecumenical legacy of Pope Benedict XVI remains forever.
“At the heart of his spiritual leadership was the promotion of a culture of peace and global solidarity. During his papacy, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged deeper understanding and cooperation with different Christian communions,” Professor Pillay wrote.
In 1968, Benedict was one of the Roman Catholics appointed to the WCC’s Commission on Faith and Order — the first time that Roman Catholics had joined as full members of the committee, according to an article published by the WCC on Saturday.
The Ecumenical Patriarch of the Orthodox Church, Bartholomew, wrote an open letter of condolence to Pope Francis, saying: “While we know that our Brother, Pope Benedict XVI, suffered for the last few years, we acknowledge that he lived a full life, complete with both difficulties and countless blessings. However, his memorable contributions not only to your Church but in academia — being one of the greatest theologians of the 20th century — and in building bridges — evident in his commitment to dialogue, especially with the Orthodox Church — will undeniably leave their mark on history.”
POLITICAL leaders around the world echoed praise of Benedict’s contributions to theology. Rishi Sunak described him as “a great theologian”, and recalled his visit to the UK in 2010 as a “historic moment for both Catholics and non-Catholics throughout our country” (News, 22 September 2010).
President Biden also credited Benedict as a “renowned theologian”. In a statement issued on Saturday, he said that he remembered Benedict’s comments on a visit to the United States in 2008, in which he emphasised the need for “global solidarity . . . if all people are to live in a way worthy of their dignity”.
President Biden, who is the second Roman Catholic to be elected president, has been criticised by RC leaders in the US for his defence of the right to abortion, with some calling for him to be barred from receiving communion (News, 25 June 2021).
From Monday until the funeral service, which is due to be held on Thursday, Benedict’s body is lying in state in an open casket in St Peter’s Basilica. According to BBC News, Vatican police estimated that 40,000 people had filed past his body in the first five hours of his lying in state.
The funeral service will be presided over by Pope Francis. A spokesman for the Vatican has said that it will be a simple occasion, in accordance with Benedict’s wishes. Details of those attending have not yet been released, but it is expected that official delegations will come from only Italy, and Benedict’s country of birth, Germany.