The funeral of Benedict XVI: kings, heads of state and an unprecedented liturgy in the history of the Church in the Vatican

Being a non-reigning Pope, we learned the funeral scheduled for Thursday of Benedict XVI, the emeritus Joseph Ratzinger, will not belong to the state. Therefore, only the presidents of Germany, the late pontiff’s native country, and of Italy, will head the official delegations.

Argentina will be represented by the ambassador to the Holy See, Maria Fernanda Silva.

This is one of the liturgical novelties and protocol for the funeral of the first pontiff in more than 600 years a I quit to his position as head of the Church and whose funeral will be presided over by his successor.

At the funeral the liturgy was changed and it was also noted that the robe of the body of Joseph Ratzinger, placed on a catafalque at the foot of the altar of confession and the splendid black canopy by Bernini, it is not that of a reigning Pope.

Another novelty would be that the body of Benedict XVI is not placed in the three coffins of different woods, as required by the burial rite of a Roman pontiff. Nor has it been clarified whether at the time of closing the coffin the coffin will be placed on the face of the deceased traditional white silk scarf.

Joseph Ratzinger’s body is dressed in the miter and red parameters without papal pallium.

Premier Víktor Orbán, a Protestant, accompanied by his Catholic wife, was the first of the almost 200 countries that maintain diplomatic relations with the Holy See to pay homage this morning in front of the remains of Benedict XVI.

Kings and heads of state

The funeral will be held on Thursday on a personal basis the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda; the King of Belgium, Felipe and the Queen Mother of Spain, Sofia, accompanied by the president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Juan José Omella.

The funeral will also be attended by the President of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and a delegation from the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

30,000 faithful were expected to attend on Monday, the first day of the chapel fire, but They were more than double 65,000 attendees in the ten hours envisaged. Today and tomorrow there will be twelve hours in the chapel.

The faithful continue to arrive from all over Italy and it is expected that on Thursday, the day of the funeral, they reach up to 70 thousand Catholics from Bavaria, the German region where the Pope Emeritus was born.

In the area of ​​the Plaza de San Pedro preparations are intensified. they have already been placed five thousand chairs and giant screens are being installed so that the faithful can follow the ceremony.

The status of Benedict XVI as emeritus and not as reigning pope creates, according to experts a real puzzle in the liturgy for lack of precedent. But it is believed that the will of Pope Francis is to pay homage to Joseph Ratzinger with all possible honors.

The coffin with Ratzinger’s remains is in danger of passing the door of deathone of the five doors of St. Peter’s Basilica, used for the passage of the coffins of the popes.

This Wednesday Pope Francis will preside over the general audience in the nearby Paul VI Hall.

The funeral is expected to be concelebrated by the Argentine Pope with the Dean of the Sacred College, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, and the Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolín.

Due to walking problems due to osteoarthritis in one knee he suffers from, this is likely to be the case Francis remains seated during part of the liturgy.

Vatican correspondent

ap​