Vatican announces pope emeritus to lie in state in St Peter’s Basilica from Monday after passing away on Saturday morning
The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, says he is saddened to learn of Benedict XVI’s death.
His visit to UK in 2010 was a “historic moment for both Catholics and non Catholics”, he adds.
Today I join with the church throughout the world, and especially with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and all in the Catholic Church, in mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
In Pope Benedict’s long life and ministry of service to Christ in His Church he saw many profound changes in the church and in the world. He lived through the Nazi regime in Germany and served briefly in the Second World War. As a younger theologian and priest he witnessed first-hand the discussions of the Second Vatican Council. As a professor and then as an Archbishop he lived in a divided Germany but saw too the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of his homeland.
