Former Pope Benedict XVI died in the Vatican at the age of 95. Benedict made history with that startling announcement in 2013. The first pope to retire in nearly 600 years. Benedict XVI reaffirmed many of the traditional teachings of the Church and dealt with the consequences of sexual abuse.
Scandal Pope Francis honoring his predecessor in a prayer service today hailing him as the noble and gracious President Biden among the many who pay tribute praising his life of devotion to the church ABC’s Inez de la Catera leads us tonight from the City of Vatican Catholics around the world mourn Benedict 16 the pope emeritus who passed away this morning at the age of 95.
Pope Francis at a New Year’s Eve ceremony praising his predecessor’s goodness and thanking him for his testimony of faith and prayer especially in these last years of his retired life Benedict XVI shocked in church when he announced his retirement in 2013, the first pontiff to resign in almost 600 years citing
M. ind’s lack of strength and body due to his age the pope emeritus kept a low profile residing in the vatican giving up his famous red shoes for a quiet life vowing to live hidden from the world he seemed frail and in declining health seen this summer with francis who said having benedict in the vatican was like having a wise grandfather at home to turn to for advice in 2005 at age 78 he was the fifth oldest pope elected in church history born as joseph ratzinger served as Cardinal Archbishop of Munich in the late 1970s and early 1980s Just this year, Benedict cited in a damning report accusing him of bad driving the cases of sexual abuse by priests when he was head of the Archdiocese.
The church sexual abuse scandal ravaged his papacy and he was the first pope to meet with the victims. In fact, I am deeply sorry. for the pain and suffering the victims have endured, he also faced intense criticism accused of not doing enough to hold church leaders accountable for covering up the abuse,
but perhaps the most notable thing about his papacy was its abrupt end, a decision that could change the church forever. One of the many gifts Pope Benedict gave the church was now the freedom for future popes to step down among the tributes pouring in from around the world.
President Biden himself is a devotee. Catholics remember Benedict as a renowned theologian with a lifetime of devotion to the church and makeshift monuments are beginning to appear here in the Vatican. Here you can see that someone brought photos of the former Pope together with candles. Paulette Magana’s family told her that she had to be in the Vatican, her family in El Salvador asked her to come here, yes,
Franciscan lady, brother, saying that Catholics from all over the world will unite to mourn her passing like when their grandfather or father dies. dies only then does he realize the value of family and as de la Catera joins us from Vatican City and Inez this is Uncharted Territory really with the passing of a former Pope so what are you learning about t funeral arrangements in the days to come, wait, yes, and there are still a lot of questions here because this hasn’t happened in 600 years.
We know what happens when a reigning Pope dies, but not when a previous Pope dies. they lie here in st peter’s basilica as of monday their funeral will take place thursday and will be presided over by pope francis who is also expected to mention benedict tomorrow during mass and as a thank you hello everyone george stephanopoulos here thank you to check visit abc news youtube channel for more videos, highlights and live event coverage click right here to subscribe to our channel and don’t forget to download the abc news app to receive breaking news alerts, thanks for watching
