Following Pope Francis’ request for prayers for his predecessor, who was “extremely unwell,” on Friday, his death on Saturday came as a shock.
It’s as if he knew he was going to die.
The Vatican’s doctrinal office, then known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, was powerfully led by Benedict for nearly 25 years as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
According to the Vatican, 95-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger on April 16, 1927) has passed away.
The Holy See Press Office reported that Benedict, the first German pontiff in 1,000 years, passed away in the Mater Ecclesiae convent, where he had chosen to live after stepping down in 2013.
According to the Vatican, his body will lay in state at Saint Peter’s Basilica starting on Monday. In St. Peter’s Square on January 5, pope Francis will preside over the funeral. It is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. to begin the ceremony (0830 GMT).
Beginning on Monday, St. Peter’s Basilica will host a public viewing of Benedict’s remains.
Prior to becoming pope, Benedict XVI authored a number of works about religion. He continued to write as a theologian while in office, but he also made historically significant concessions to Catholics who found the Second Vatican Council’s doctrines, notably those regarding the ritual, difficult to embrace.
He catechized the faithful on the core doctrines and practices of Christianity, spanning from St. Augustine’s sermons to the sign of the cross, using just about every available medium, including books, Twitter, sermons, and encyclicals. He wrote a total of 66 books.
What books has Pope Benedict XVI written?
The Spirit of the Liturgy, Called to Communion: Understanding the Church Today, and the 2016 publication of the Last Testament: In His Own Words are some of Benedict XVI’s best-known works.
