Today was a morning of emotion in St. Peter’s Square for the last greeting of Pontiff emeritus Benedict XVI. “Like the women of the Gospel at the tomb, we are here with the perfume of gratitude and the ointment of hope to show him, once again, the love that is not lost - these are the words that Pope Francis dedicated to Benedict XVI - we want to do so with the same anointing, wisdom, delicacy and dedication that he has been able to give over the years. We want to say together: 'Father, into your hands we deliver his spirit'. Blessed, faithful friend of the Bridegroom, may your joy be perfect in hearing his voice definitively and forever.” Thus ends, with a long applause, the day on which, for the first time in history, a pontiff presided over the funeral of his predecessor. The coffin, as Vatican News reports, was then taken to the Vatican Caves for burial. During the private rite, a ribbon is added around the coffin, with seals of St. Peter’s Council, the Papal Household and the liturgical celebrations. To ensure the normal running of the celebration, the security of the area was expanded through an incoming pre-filtration, an expanded no-fly zone beyond the square, helicopters, sharpshooters, special departments, firefighters, 118 and local police. In all, more than a thousand agents were mobilized. (Photo Vatican Media)
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