Vatican, 02 January, 2023 / 8:23 pm (ACI Africa).
Just two official state delegations — from Italy and Germany — will attend the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Vatican’s press office has confirmed, answering one of the many novel protocol questions posed by the death of a pope emeritus.
The German-born Benedict, formerly Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, lived in Italy for more than 40 years, beginning in 1981. The Holy See Press Office confirmed on Dec. 31 that the two countries were sending official representatives to the funeral, which will be on Thursday.
Both Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid their respects to the late pontiff Monday morning at St. Peter’s Basilica, where his body will lie in state through Jan. 4. While there, Meloni offered her condolences to Benedict’s longtime personal secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein.
Italian President Sergio Mattarella (first row, second from right) and his daughter Laura Mattarella, Italy's First Lady, pay their respects to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose body lies in state in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, on Jan. 2, 2023. Vatican Media
According to the news magazine Der Spiegel, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will attend Benedict’s funeral on Thursday in an official capacity.
