The Catholic Church has given a humble farewell to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. He has already been entombed in the Vatican in the same tomb where the remains of Saint John Paul II originally rested.
The coffin was taken to the Vatican Grottoes, located below St. Peter’s Basilica after the funeral Mass presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square in the presence of tens and thousands.
Before arriving at the Grottoes, Pope Francis briefly prayed before the coffin of his predecessor in St. Peter’s Square which became an emotional moment of saying goodbye between the two popes.
The body of Benedict XVI was deposited in the traditional triple coffin for the Popes: one made of cypress wood, another of zinc and the third of oak.
Several dozen people participated in the burial, including the German Archbishop Georg Gänswein, who was Benedict XVI’s personal secretary.
The Rogito, a Latin text on the life of Benedict XVI, was placed last night in the coffin of the late Pope Emeritus.
According to tradition, the medals and coins minted during the pontificate of Benedict XVI were also placed in the coffin.