Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was Pope from April 2005 to February 2013, died earlier today aged 95. He was the second pope in history to visit the UK in 2010. The 2010 Visit began in Edinburgh on 16 September 2010 and he became the first pontiff to visit Scotland in 28 years. He was given a specially designed Papal tartan scarf which he wore on a day of many memorable moments which started in Edinburgh and ended with Mass in Bellahouston Park, Glasgow.
The Vatican has announced that Pope Francis will preside over the funeral of the Pope Emeritus on 5 January at 9.30 CET in St. Peter’s Square.
The President of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland Bishop Hugh Gilbert has paid tribute to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, stating:
“With the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict, we lose one of the leading Catholic figures of the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of our own. By nature a shy and scholarly man and by profession a priest-theologian, he found himself drawn ever more into public life as Archbishop of Munich, as Prefect of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome and finally as Pope – the first German since the end of the 2nd World War to attain world pre-eminence. His memorable State visit to the United Kingdom in 2010 began in Scotland. The gentle and prayerful intelligence revealed during that visit disarmed his critics. He was often misunderstood, even caricatured. Contrary to a widespread perception, however, he was a resolutely contemporary “confessor of the faith”, deeply and critically engaged with modern thought, a lucid and unacademic preacher and pastorally sensitive. His bold, independent spirit surprised us all with his decision to resign while in office, the first Pope to do so for centuries. He once wrote: “my basic intention has been to expose the real core of the faith underneath the encrustations, and to give this core its true power and dynamism. This has been the constant direction of my life.” His full stature will surely emerge increasingly. May he rest in peace.”
Let us pray for the repose of his soul, and that it may rise in glory