Special envoy to Rome
In what thoughts was Pope Francis immersed, his hand resting for a long time on the coffin of his predecessor, at the end of the funeral mass?
A striking, rare image, as if the German pope, this time, definitively passed the baton to his successor.
The symbol was misleading, however, because this handover, in the minds of the two men, had been carried out a long time ago, without ambiguity or return, even before the election of Pope Francis on March 13, 2013. Benedict was no longer pope, and had committed himself to obedience to his successor, without forbidding him to express himself but remaining in his place.
Does the death of the pope emeritus change the situation?
Will François feel more free to act?
Will his pontificate take on a new dimension?
The question has come up a lot in Rome and in the Church these days.
The answer appears obvious, in appearance: many people believe that nothing should change since the border between the territories…
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