Military Ordinariate of the Philippines Bishop Oscar Jaime Florencio paid tribute to the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI who will be laid to rest Thursday, Jan. 5, at the Vatican Crypt which is directly below the St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican.
During a requiem mass in honor of the Pontiff who passed away on Dec. 31 held at the Shrine of St. Therese of the Child Jesus in Pasay City, Bishop Florencio cited the virtues of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI as the former head of the Roman Catholic Church including the impact of his Encyclical Letter “Caritas in Veritate.”
“Whenever we go back to what he wrote, what he said in his homilies, it was evident that he was in defense of the truth. His encyclical ‘Caritas in Veritate’ is an important example because there he would defend what is true because for him truth is all about God. Truth is all about the eternal God and Creator. That is why we cannot accuse him of trying to cover-up the weaknesses and the sins of people who have committed some kind of abuse, especially priests during his term,” said Bishop Florencio.
The prelate called on the faithful to pray for the eternal repose of the soul of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and to thank the Lord for the gift of his life and his contributions to the Church.
“As we remember Pope Benedict XVI in this Holy Mass, let us thank the Father for giving us this Pope, for giving us the saintly Pope. He was a pastor. He was a shepherd to his flock and at the same time, a father to all of us because a father brings his children to the light, brings his children to the truth. If we go back to the teachings and to the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, we would know that he was a real shepherd, a real father for all of us,” stressed Bishop Florencio
Meanwhile, the Vatican announced that his funeral on Jan. 5, will be similar to that of a reigning pope, including a three-coffin burial. As is traditional for Popes, his body will be placed in a cypress coffin which will be carried out of St. Peter’s Basilica and into the square.
As has been practiced, that coffin will be placed into a zinc coffin and then both will be placed into another coffin made of wood.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be buried according to his wishes in the same spot in the crypts under St. Peter’s Basilica where Pope John Paul II was originally interred in 2005 before his body was moved up to a chapel in the basilica in 2011
The late Pontiff served as the head of the Catholic Church for 8 years after his election on April 19, 2005, following the death of Pope John Paul II. He stepped down due to failing health on Feb. 28, 2013.