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Mosaic of mourners bids farewell to Benedict XVI

Clergy and lay people converge on the Vatican at extraordinary funeral ceremony for retired pope

By AP 6 January 2023, 10:26 am

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The coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is carried away after a funeral mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Pope Francis during the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
In this image released on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, by the Vatican Media news service, Bishops Georg Gaenswein, right, and Diego Ravelli cover the face of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI with a white silk veil as he rests in a cypress coffin in St. Peter's Basilica, Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023, the night before his funeral mass presided over by Pope Francis at the Vatican. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. He was 95. (Vatican Media via AP)
Faithful attend the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
People start taking their seats at dawn ahead of the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Faithful attend the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Faithful attend the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
In this image released on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, by the Vatican Media news service, Pope Francis touches the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI after his funeral mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. He was 95. (Vatican Media via AP)
Pope Francis stands next to the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI after a funeral mass at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement, his days mainly devoted to prayer and reflection. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
People occupy their positions at the St. Peter's Square at the Vatican ahead of the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement, his days mainly devoted to prayer and reflection. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Pope Francis, centre, attends a funeral mass next to the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Dean of the College of Cardinals, Giovanni Battista Re, center, censes the coffin containing the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI during his funeral mass presided over by Pope Francis, right, in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Pope Francis, centre, starts a funeral mass as the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is placed at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement, his days mainly devoted to prayer and reflection. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)
A guard stands as the fog covers the St. Peter's Basilica Dome in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican ahead of the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement, his days mainly devoted to prayer and reflection. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Faithful attend the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, January 5, 2023. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Pope Francis sits by the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square during a funeral mass at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis, centre, starts a funeral mass as the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is placed at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement, his days mainly devoted to prayer and reflection. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
Pope Francis, centre, sits as the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI St. Peter's Square is carrying during a funeral mass at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Cardinals arrive in procession ahead of the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Members of the church attend the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
Priests prepare for the holy communion during the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis)
People hold a banner as they gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican for the funeral mass for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement, his days mainly devoted to prayer and reflection. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Dignitaries watch as the coffin of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is carried away after a funeral mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

One pope laid another to rest Thursday in an extraordinary ceremony at the Vatican as the Catholic faithful bade farewell to Benedict XVI, who resigned from the papacy a decade ago.

Benedict died at 95 on Dec. 31 in the monastery on the Vatican grounds where he had spent nearly all of his decade in retirement.

Mourners crowded into St. Peter’s Square starting in the early morning, when fog obscured the basilica’s dome.

Clergy and lay people alike created a mosaic with their garments — from the red skullcaps of the cardinals and the white robes of priests to the simple gray tunics of monks and the puffy dark jackets of the ordinary faithful.

They cheered as pallbearers, in morning suits and white gloves, carried Benedict’s simple casket out of the basilica and placed it on an ornate carpet in front of the altar in the vast square.

Pope Francis then presided over the requiem Mass, unusual because it saw a reigning pontiff eulogize a retired one.

Francis paused at the end to touch the coffin, the final public moment together for two men who have lived side-by-side in the Vatican since Benedict announced he would be the first pope in 600 years to step down.