Analysis: A closer look at the ceremonial details of Benedict XVI’s funeral

Andrea Gagliarducci   By Andrea Gagliarducci for CNA

January 5, 2023 Catholic News Agency News Briefs 0 Print

 

Archbishop Georg Ganswein (left), longtime personal secretary of Pope Benedict XVI, kisses the coffin of friend and mentor at his funeral on Jan. 5, 2023, at the Vatican. / Vatican Media

Vatican City, Jan 6, 2023 / 00:01 am (CNA).

There is no doubt that the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Jan. 5 was a pope’s funeral. Not only was the funeral rite the one foreseen for the death of a pope, but so were all the rites that accompanied it.

For example, the medals and coins of the pontificate, the “rogito” (the brief document describing the pontificate), and the palliums that characterized his activity — that of archbishop of Munich, that of dean of the College of Cardinals, and that of pope — were buried with Benedict in the coffin, as is customary for a pope.

Also, the celebration was the classic one of the pope’s death, except for the abolition of the supplication of the Diocese of Rome and that of the Eastern Churches. Both of these pleas, in fact, specifically concern the death of a reigning pope and would not have been indicated for pope emeritus.

The funeral rite for Benedict XVI followed that which was reserved for Pope John Paul II on April 8, 2005. However, there were slight differences, such as the decision not to use the Roman Canon, the most ancient Eucharistic Prayer of the Roman Church, which until now has always been the custom. Instead, Eucharistic Prayer III was used.

In every single gesture, it was demonstrated that Benedict XVI was a pope of the Catholic Church and that his pontificate is part of the history of the Church.

Pope Benedict XVI's coffin is carried in St. Peter's Basilica on Jan. 5, 2023. Vatican Media
Pope Benedict XVI’s coffin is carried in St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 5, 2023. Vatican Media

On the other hand, Benedict XVI’s resignation differs from the other six resignations from the pontificate that have taken place in previous years. The only one of these perhaps comparable was that of Celestine V, Pietro di Morrone, who returned to being a monk until the end of his life. However, Benedict XVI has opened up a new path: It is the first renunciation of a pope made not because he was under pressure or incapacitated but because he was lucidly aware that he no longer had the strength to carry forward the boat of Peter.

For this reason, the funeral of Benedict XVI was the funeral of a pope, but it is not the funeral of a pope who died while reigning. And this can be seen in many details.

First, there is no “sede vacante,” and therefore there are no rites of “sede vacante.” Those were already done at the end of the pontificate, on Feb. 28, 2013, when Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, then Camerlengo, went up with the members of the Apostolic Camera to the papal apartments to celebrate the rites at the end of the pontificate: the breaking of the fisherman’s ring, the seals affixed to the papal apartment. Even then, there hadn’t been a crucial step: the confirmation of death.

At the death of Benedict XVI, however, there was a reigning pope. Therefore, all the power of jurisdiction fell on the reigning pope and, consequently, on the Secretariat of State of the Holy See.

From a formal point of view, the certification of the death was made by Pope Francis himself, the first to be warned by Archbishop Georg Gänswein and rush to Benedict’s bedside after he died.

The announcement was then made with a statement from the Holy See Press Office. This body disseminates official information from the Holy See, receiving it from the Secretariat of State.

When a reigning pope dies, in contrast, the announcement is made from the Apostolic Palace. It is proclaimed by the pope’s vicar for the Diocese of Rome — even if, on the death of John Paul II, it was the then deputy of the Secretariat of State, Leonardo Sandri, who announced the end of the pope.

Vatican Media
Vatican Media

The absence of official delegations at Benedict’s funeral was another feature that carried a certain weight. If the pope is reigning, there are only official delegations. In this case, it was preferred to clarify that the pope is emeritus by emphasizing that any participation by heads of state, monarchs, or government members would be in a personal capacity.

All of this happens because there is a “see plena,” with all the powers, which are those of the pope. Therefore, the heads of dicasteries have not ended their mandate at the death of Benedict XVI because the pontificate has not ended. And the Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church has not taken power because the pontificate has not finished.

Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, Camerlengo, was not present when the casket was closed on Jan. 4.

Instead, there were:

  • Cardinal Giovan Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals;
  • Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica;
  • Cardinal Angelo de Donatis, the pope’s vicar for the Diocese of Rome;
  • Cardinal Fernando Vergez, governor of Vatican City State;
  • Archbishop Edgar Pena Parra, substitute of the Secretariat of State, and
  • the canons of St. Peter’s.

When the body of Benedict XVI was transferred to St. Peter’s Basilica, the prayer was led by Cardinal Gambetti and not by the Camerlengo because the Holy See was not vacant.

Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over a brief ritual upon the arrival of Benedict XVI’s body in St. Peter's Basilica on Jan. 2, 2023, sprinkling the body with holy water and offering prayers for the repose of his soul. . Vatican Media
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, the archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, presided over a brief ritual upon the arrival of Benedict XVI’s body in St. Peter’s Basilica on Jan. 2, 2023, sprinkling the body with holy water and offering prayers for the repose of his soul. . Vatican Media

It is these details that help to understand that it was the pope emeritus and not the reigning pope who died. Not even the bells of St. Peter’s rang to announce the death of Benedict.

There was no mourning day, and mourning was not officially proclaimed for the Vatican city-state even on the day of the funeral, though many Vatican employees attended the liturgy.

In other words, ceremonial signals were sent to make clear that Benedict XVI was not the reigning pope.

At the same time, there was no doubt that Benedict XVI was pope and that he should have a pope’s funeral.

In the same way, it must be considered that it is as if the pope’s death had occurred twice: first, at the resignation, during which the “sede vacante” began, and a conclave took place to elect the successor, and then at Benedict’s actual death. In other words, the funeral was the second half of a celebration that began with the vacant seat on Feb. 28, 2013.

In the end, Apostolici Dominici Gregis, John Paul II’s constitution that regulates the procedures after a papal death, states the funeral rites of the deceased pope must be “celebrated for nine consecutive days, determining when they are to begin, in such a way that burial will take place, except for special reasons, between the fourth and sixth day after death.”

Following these norms, Benedict’s funeral was celebrated within that time period. However, there will not be formally nine consecutive days of mourning, although Masses in suffrage of Benedict XVI’s soul will be celebrated.

Finally, a curiosity: Benedict XVI did not wear the fisherman’s ring, which was broken at the end of his pontificate, as a procedure. He was wearing instead the ring of St. Benedict, which replicated the symbols of St. Benedict’s medallion, symbolizing his unique link with the saint from Nursia, co-patron of Europe.

If you value the news and views Catholic World Report provides, please consider donating to support our efforts. Your contribution will help us continue to make CWR available to all readers worldwide for free, without a subscription. Thank you for your generosity!

Click here for more information on donating to CWR. Click here to sign up for our newsletter.

About Catholic News Agency 12659 Articles
Catholic News Agency (www.catholicnewsagency.com)

Related Articles

No Picture
News Briefs

Remembering the devastating fire at St. Paul Outside the Walls 200 years later

July 14, 2023 Catholic News Agency 0
Illustation of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, before the fire that destroyed it in 1823. / Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, from his book “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” 2018

Rome, Italy, Jul 14, 2023 / 03:00 am (CNA).

As the bicentennial anniversary of the devastating fire at St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome draws near, the profound significance of the July 15, 1823, event is recalled among those who love the basilica. The tragic incident left an indelible mark on the architectural landscape and the hearts of believers. 

Illustration of the destruction of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome in 1823, depicted in Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, from his book "St. Paul's Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era," 2018. Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, from his book "St. Paul's Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era," 2018
Illustration of the destruction of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome in 1823, depicted in Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, from his book “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” 2018. Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, from his book “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” 2018

To commemorate this solemn anniversary, a series of events are planned in collaboration with various embassies, universities, and choirs. 

On July 11, the Benedictine friars residing in the monastery at the basilica offered a special vespers service open to the public. Additionally, a community event organized by the nearby university Roma Tre will take place in Rome’s Ostiense neighborhood on July 14 and 15 in the Parco Schuster, a small neighborhood park in the shadow of the iconic basilica. The gathering aims to honor the memory of the great fire and pay tribute to the enduring spirit of the basilica. It provides an opportunity for Catholics, architectural enthusiasts, and community members to come together and reflect on the profound impact of the fire and the subsequent reconstruction efforts, complete with 3D imaging technology developed to show what the basilica used to look like.

Cardinal James Michael Harvey, the appointed archpriest of St. Paul Outside the Walls, expressed the importance of commemorating the tragic event, stating: “We want the future to know that the memory of this event was taken seriously during its 200-year anniversary.”

Harvey also noted that the basilica is organizing an assembly of 19th-century scholars, experts, and historians to visit the basilica and discuss the significance of the tragedy sometime in November. The announcement of this event is still pending.

To gain deeper insights into the fire and its aftermath, Nicola Camerlenghi, assistant professor of Art History at Dartmouth College and a renowned expert in architectural history, shared his expertise during an interview with CNA. According to Camerlenghi, “The fire at St. Paul’s Basilica was a great tragedy. What was lost was the last imperial basilica built in Rome and one of the few monumental buildings from early Christian times that had survived relatively untouched by subsequent alterations.”

Color illustration of historic fire at St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, 1823, depicted in Professor Nicola Camerlenghi's book "St. Paul's Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era," 2018. Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi from his book "St. Paul's Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era," 2018
Color illustration of historic fire at St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, 1823, depicted in Professor Nicola Camerlenghi’s book “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” 2018. Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi from his book “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” 2018

Reflecting on the decisions made during the meticulous reconstruction process, Camerlenghi emphasized the faithful restoration of the basilica. The architects and artisans recreated its original state while adapting to the loss of certain materials and using materials that are more fireproof. As a result of Camerlenghi’s research, 19th-century French writer Stendhal’s journal entry from his time in Rome surfaced, providing a glimpse into Rome after the fire. Stendhal wrote: “I found in it a severe beauty and an impression of calamity such as only the music of Mozart can suggest. The terrible painful traces of the misfortune were still alive… Thus perished the most ancient basilica not only of Rome, but of all Christianity. It had lasted 15 centuries.”

The fire was ruled an accident, caused by a distracted welder named Giacomo who unknowingly left a pan of coals burning on the roof. Despite initial suspicions of arson, conspiracy theories involving revolutionary movements and even the prominent Rothschild family failed to gain traction.

Lithograph image of fire at St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, 1823, depicted in "St. Paul's Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era," by Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, 2018. Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi from his book "St. Paul's Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era," 2018
Lithograph image of fire at St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, 1823, depicted in “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” by Professor Nicola Camerlenghi, 2018. Photo courtesy of Professor Nicola Camerlenghi from his book “St. Paul’s Outside the Walls, A Roman Basilica, from Antiquity to the Modern Era,” 2018

The reconstruction of St. Paul Outside the Walls proved to be a formidable undertaking amid the political and cultural turmoil of Rome at the time. To honor the basilica’s historical significance, Pope Leo XII decided to restore it to its former glory, without the architectural modifications and additions that had accumulated over the centuries.

At the bicentennial anniversary of this devastating fire, one is reminded of the enduring faith and unwavering spirit that define St. Paul Outside the Walls and even St. Paul himself. As Camerlenghi noted: “In turn, the reconstruction that ensued was a testament to the importance of the figure of St. Paul to the Catholic Church and indeed to the Christian community at large. No figure has been quite as ecumenical as Paul, the Apostle of the Gentiles.”

[…]

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

All comments posted at Catholic World Report are moderated. While vigorous debate is welcome and encouraged, please note that in the interest of maintaining a civilized and helpful level of discussion, comments containing obscene language or personal attacks—or those that are deemed by the editors to be needlessly combative or inflammatory—will not be published. Thank you.


*