Vatican Officials Place Pope Benedict’s Body in Cypress Coffin

The Vatican officials placed Pope Benedict’s body in a coffin made of cypress wood for the public funeral after 7 pm on Wednesday. The coffin also contained commemorative medals and coins minted during Benedict’s papacy, an account of his time as pope written in Latin, and his pallium stoles — wool vestments worn around the neck by pontiffs to symbolize their roles as shepherds of their flocks.

The mortal remains of Pope Benedict XVI are shifted to the cypress wood coffin in the presence of his long-term secretary Archbishop Georg Ganswein, and other cardinals, bishops, priests the officials in the house where he lived after his papacy was present during the moment of placing the body of the Pope Emeritus.

On Thursday morning, his coffin will be carried out in front of St. Peter’s for a public Mass, with tens of thousands expected in attendance.

After the funeral, Vatican officials will place his cypress coffin inside another one made of zinc, and then a second wooden coffin. Benedict will then be buried, according to his wishes, in the grottos underneath the basilica, a crypt that was once occupied by John Paul II. John Paul was moved in 2011 when he was beatified in a first step to sainthood.

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