The funeral chapel of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died this Saturday at the age of 95, was opened at nine in the morning in the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican for the last goodbye of the faithful.
Hundreds of people have queued since 05:30 this morning to access the central nave of the temple and pay homage to Joseph Ratzinger.
The authorities anticipate that around 35,000 people will parade through the burning chapel each of the three days during which it will remain open.
The funeral will be held on Thursday morning.
The first faithful to enter the basilica were a group of Indian theologians who had been waiting since dawn at the doors of the temple.
But among the first to be able to say goodbye to Benedict XVI, shortly before the doors of the temple were opened to the public, were the Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, and the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella.
Both have silently paid tribute to Ratzinger from the side benches of the place where the body of the pope emeritus has been laid.
The queue of faithful waiting to see the remains of the pope emeritus is already crossing the basilica and going around St. Peter's Square in the Vatican several times to allow them to wait in an orderly manner.
The coincidence of the death of Benedict XVI with the Christmas holidays has meant that many of the curious were mere tourists.
Some didn't even know what had happened, like Emily C., a Californian who, along with her three friends, was waiting in line thinking about seeing the basilica.
"Really?
Is Benedict XVI here?
How cool!
Much better than seeing the Sistine Chapel then!”
Others, like a group of Spaniards a few meters away, took advantage of their vacation trip to attend the funeral.
"I do it more out of curiosity than devotion," said Ángel Botella, 56.
General view of the funeral chapel of Benedict XVI in the central nave of the Basilica of Saint Peter.VATICAN MEDIA (EFE)
Hundreds of people have queued since half past five this morning to access the temple and pay tribute to Ratzinger. Alessandra Tarantino (AP)
The authorities anticipate that around 35,000 people will parade through the burning chapel each of the three days during which it will remain open.VATICAN MEDIA (EFE)
Queue of faithful inside the Basilica of San Pedro.GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE (REUTERS)
Detail of the hands of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, this Monday. DPA via Europa Press (DPA via Europa Press)
The faithful bid farewell to Joseph Ratzinger inside St. Peter's Basilica.
VATICAN MEDIA (EFE)
Several nuns wait to pay homage to the pope emeritus in Saint Peter's Square.
GUGLIELMO MANGIAPANE (REUTERS)
The Prime Minister of Italy, Giorgia Meloni (third from the left), visited the funeral chapel of the emeritus pope on Monday.VATICAN MEDIA (via REUTERS)
Interior of Saint Peter's Basilica, during the first day of the funeral chapel of Pope Benedict XVI.
VATICAN MEDIA (EFE)
Several faithful pay homage to the pope emeritus in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.KAI PFAFFENBACH (REUTERS)
Queue of people to access the Basilica of San Pedro.Andrew Medichini (AP)
The body of the late Benedict XVI lies in the central nave of St. Peter's Basilica for public visitation. Alessandra Tarantino (AP)
Interior of the Basilica of Saint Peter during the funeral chapel, this Monday. HANDOUT (AFP)
Dozens of faithful wait to see the remains of the emeritus pope. TIZIANA FABI (AFP)
General view of the burning chapel in the central nave of the basilica.Andrew Medichini (AP)
Benedict XVI has been dressed in papal red, but without the pallium: the ornament that is placed around the neck and indicates the power exercised at the time of his death.
The absence of said piece indicates that the German was precisely retired. TIZIANA FABI (AFP)
A nun feeds a dove while waiting to say goodbye to the pope emeritus.
CIRO DE LUCA (REUTERS)
Archbishop Georg Gänswein, who was Benedict XVI's personal secretary, kisses his hand in the funeral chapel installed in Saint Peter's Basilica.VATICAN MEDIA (EFE)
The remains of Joseph Ratzinger are transferred at dawn this Monday from the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where the emeritus pope resided since his resignation in February 2013, to the Basilica of Saint Peter.VATICAN MEDIA HANDOUT (EFE)
Dozens of people wait to access the Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, this Monday.
Michael Kappeler (Europa Press)
The emeritus pope is veiled in the chapel of the Mater Ecclessiae monastery before his transfer to the basilica in an image distributed this Monday by the Vatican. HANDOUT (AFP)
One of the great doubts about an unprecedented event such as the death of an emeritus pontiff was the funeral rite and the protocol that would be established.
The clothing provides some clues, since Benedict XVI has been dressed in papal red, but without the pallium: the ornament that is placed around the neck and indicates the power exercised at the time of his death.
The absence of said piece indicates that the German was precisely retired.
The other big difference with the death of a regent pope is that a state funeral will not be held on the 5th.
The only delegations invited in this regard have been the German (due to the nationality of the pontiff) and the Italian, due to the link that exists between the Vatican and the host country.
But the heads of state or presidents of the government who travel to Rome to fire Ratzinger will do so of their own free will.
The remains of Joseph Ratzinger were transferred at seven in the morning to the basilica from the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where the pope emeritus resided since his resignation in February 2013. There he was watched over by friends, citizens and Vatican workers, as well as by the cardinals and members of the Curia.
Cardinal Mauro Gambetti presided over a brief ritual already in St. Peter's Basilica until 7:40, before finalizing the preparations for the arrival of the faithful.
Follow all the international information on
and
, or in
our weekly newsletter
.
