The Death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

Coronation of Pope Benedict XVI (Scott 1295, 2005) 60th Anniversary of Ordination (Scott 1474, 2011) Sede Vacante on Retirement of Pope Benedict XVI (Scott 1520, 2013) The world received the news on Saturday morning of the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died Saturday at the Vatican at the age of 95. The announcement came from the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni: ‘With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican’. Born the son of a policeman in Germany in 1927, Joseph Ratzinger was ordained as a priest in 1951, made a cardinal in 1977, and later served as chief theological adviser to Pope John Paul II. In 2005, he was elected as John Paul’s successor and took the name Benedict XVI, in part in a tribute to his 20th-century predecessor, Benedict XV. In 2013, he became the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign his position, rather than hold office for life. In addition to his history-making decision to retire, Benedict became the longest-living man to serve as pope when, in 2020, he surpassed Pope Leo XIII, who had lived to the age of 93 years, 140 days when he passed away in 1903. The funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is scheduled for Thursday, January 5, in St. Peter’s Square. The funeral will be led by Pope Francis. In keeping with his wishes, the funeral will be “simple,” as reported by Matteo Bruni. REFERENCES: CNN, December 31, 2022, 'Former Pope Benedict XVI dies in Vatican monastery aged 95' Religion Unplugged, September 9, 2020, 'Pope Benedict Becomes Longest-Living Pope In History'