Thousands gather for the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI
The funeral takes place in Rome today of Pope Benedict XVI, who died on new year’s eve aged 95. 135,000 Catholics have filed past his body lying in state at the Vatican for the past three days and thousands of mourners will attend the funeral in St Peter’s Square. It is expected to be quite different from the funeral of a pope who has died in office, as emotions were expressed 10 years ago when he resigned and left the Vatican. At the last papal funeral for Pope John Paul II, 4 million people came to Rome to mourn his passing, but far fewer are expected and it is not known even whether all the cardinals will attend.
Although widely reported as the first time an existing Pope has presided over the funeral of his predecessor, Vatican News points out that Pope Pius VII was present at the funeral of his predecessor Pope Pius Vi in 1802, following a long drawn out process to retrieve his remains from Valence in France, where he died and was buried in exile. His official funeral was held the following year in Rome.
Journalist and author Catherine Pepinster told a Religion Media Centre briefing that there were changes to the rituals because Benedict resigned. His papal “fisherman’s ring” would usually be removed, but this has been given up already. And the pallium, a long band worn by popes around the shoulders, was not worn as he lay in state. But the tradition of burying the body in three coffins will be observed, so that the remains are preserved in case they need to be investigated for sainthood. Previous popes have been canonised — created saints — sometimes quickly after their death, but this is not automatic.
The Religion News Service has an article previewing liturgical aspects of the funeral, with the mass said in Latin, certain prayers omitted and readings in many languages including English, German and Spanish. Pope Francis will celebrate the Mass and preach the homily.
Report on our RMC briefing on Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy is on our website here and the film of the briefing is on YouTube here.
88 per cent of the US Congress identify as Christian
The US Congress, currently in turmoil over six failed attempts to elect a speaker, has a religious make-up that is predominantly Christian and does not reflect the diversity of faith found in the USA. Pew Research says only two of the 534 members say they have no religion, whereas 30 per cent of Americans hold this view. 469 members of Congress say they are Christian – 88 per cent of the total, compared to 63 per cent in the general population. There are 3 Muslim, 2 Hindu, 2 Buddhist, 1 Humanist and 33 Jews among the members of congress.
Desecration of Christian graves in Jerusalem condemned as blasphemous
The desecration of 30 graves in a protestant cemetery on Mount Zion near the Old Wall of Jerusalem, has been condemned by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, as a blasphemous act. Security cameras captured two men, one of whom was visibly Jewish, carrying out the attack, where crosses were broken and headstones smashed. The Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, said: “This shameful vandalism is a disgraceful desecration for which I hope the perpetrators will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.” Justin Welby joined church leaders in Jerusalem “calling for respect, protection, equality and justice for its Christian community”.
Controversy over “McCarthyite blacklist” in Prevent programme independent review
The long delayed Shawcross report on the government’s Prevent programme to counter radicalisation, has led to repeated speculation of an internal disagreement on whether it should publish the names of individuals and groups alleged to be connected with Islamist extremism. Miqdaad Versi, media spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain, wrote in the Guardian that this would effectively be a McCarthyite backlist. He commented on reports that the Home Office wants the names redacted but the communities secretary, Michael Gove, wants the report published in full. The Mail on Sunday subsequently reported that one of the names was the respected Nottingham Imam and community leader Dr Musharraf Hussain, who said the inclusion of his name was news to him and if necessary he would sue to protect his reputation. The Home Office was quoted saying that the Government is reviewing the recommendations of the independent review and will publish the report and its considered response in due course.
