Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was laid to rest just before noon (Rome time) on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023, in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, where the mortal remains of many pontiffs reside. 

About 50,000 people came to the Vatican to pay their final respects to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI—who served the Catholic Church for nearly eight years before his historic retirement in February 2013—the first time in 600 years that a pope had resigned from office. From the time of his resignation until his death, Benedict had led a life of relative quiet and contemplation at a monastery inside the Vatican.

This week on “Inside the Vatican,” Ricardo da Silva, S.J., an associate editor at America Media, speaks with Gerard O’Connell, our regular co-host on the show, and David Gibson, the director of the Center on Religion and Culture at Fordham University in New York and the author of The Rule of Benedict: Pope Benedict XVI and His Battle with the Modern World. 

In the first part of the show, Ricardo talks with Gerry and David about what made this first-ever funeral of a pope emeritus different from that of a pope who dies while still in office. They also address the criticism that Pope Francis’ homily did not sufficiently eulogize and recognize the legacy of the former pope. 

In the second half of the show, Ricardo, Gerry and David discuss the legacy of Pope Benedict’s nearly eight years as pope and his 24 years as head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

 Read more on the life and legacy of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at americamagazine.org.

Links from the show:

A video version of this podcast on America’s YouTube channel

Pope Francis presides over historic funeral for Benedict XVI

What you need to know about the historic funeral of Pope Benedict XVI

Eulogy vs. homily: When should you talk about the deceased in a Catholic funeral?

Pope Benedict XVI, defender of orthodoxy defined by historic resignation, dies at 95

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