- Title: Requiem for Benedict XVI held in Munich ahead of funeral in Vatican
- Date: 3rd January 2023
- Summary: MUNICH, GERMANY (JANUARY 3, 2023) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MUNICH'S FRAUENKIRCHE (CHURCH OF OUR LADY) WITH BELLS RINGING FOR SERVICE FOR BENEDICT XVI VARIOUS OF PEOPLE QUEUING TO GET INTO CHURCH FOR REQUIEM SERVICE (SOUNDBITE) (German) SERVICE ATTENDEE, ANNA BUESCHER, SAYING: "In 2006 I sang for the Pope's visit and it was a nice experience. And now to be here for the Requiem (tears up a bit) yes, it's really good." (SOUNDBITE) (English) SERVICE ATTENDEE, ROBERTA LEMISS from Brazil, SAYING: "I think he was serious. I think he was very kind with people but he was like more serious than Francisco." (SOUNDBITE) (German) SERVICE ATTENDEE, ANDREAS KNOPPIK, SAYING: "I didn't really get much positive from his time. But I must say that I am also not a massive fan of the church. I am just going to look to see what a fuss they will make again." (SOUNDBITE) (German) SERVICE ATTENDEE, MARIO KUEHNERT, SAYING: "My memories of Pope Benedict are that he was a man of the church. A theoretician, a gifted theologian if you like. A man who certainly left his mark as pope, who did not please everyone. But also didn't have to and I think we have lost a great Catholic." (SOUNDBITE) (German) SERVICE ATTENDEE, MANFRED WEIHERS, SAYING: (Referring to comments by Benedict admitting to making errors and to mistakenly giving false testimony in one case) "Well, what he didn't admit to in his testimony, he could have admitted it sooner. You don't behave like that as Pope and head shepherd, that you secretly admit to certain things. We of course all didn't like that very much." VARIOUS OF SERVICE PROGRAMME IN PEW PEOPLE IN CHURCH VARIOUS OF CANDLES VARIOUS OF IMAGE OF BENEDICT IN CHURCH VARIOUS OF RELIGIOUS ICON VARIOUS OF ARCHBISHOP OF MUNICH, CARDINAL REINHARD MARX ARRIVING IN CHURCH HANDS PRAYING PEOPLE COMING INTO CHURCH WITH CLASPED HANDS VARIOUS OF SERVICE / INCENSE CONGRAGATION (SOUNDBITE) (German) ARCHBISHOP OF MUNICH, CARDINAL REINHARD MARX, SAYING, DURING SERVICE: (Quality as incoming) "So I want to invite everyone to prayer including everyone who has experienced abuse and suffering in the church. All those who received good gifts from Joseph Ratzinger. And all those who at this time trust that God's goodness and mercy will heal all, all of life anew." VARIOUS OF WOMAN CRYING (SOUNDBITE) (German) ARCHBISHOP OF MUNICH, CARDINAL REINHARD MARX, SAYING, DURING SERVICE: (Quality as incoming) "And for all who are connected to him and all who have questions. For all the critics, for all who look back on this life, we call the mercy of God upon us all." VARIOUS OF CONGREGATION SINGING PRAYER VARIOUS OF IMAGE OF POPE / CONGREGATION WIDE OF CHURCH INTERIOR CLASPED HANDS VARIOUS OF CONGREGATION VARIOUS OF SERVICE
- Embargoed: 17th January 2023 19:00
- Keywords: Former Pope death Munich prayers Pope Benedict Vatican
- Location: MUNICH, GERMANY
- City: MUNICH, GERMANY
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Europe,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001004803012023RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: ONE BITE IS IN ENGLISH NOT MENTIONED ON SLATE
Munich's Frauenkirche on Tuesday (January 3) held a requiem for former Pope Benedict XVI two days before the Pope Emeritus' funeral will be held in the Vatican.
The service led by Munich's Archbishop Cardinal Marx was held to a packed church filled with well-wishers and critics who wanted to experience the event.
During his eight-year papacy, Benedict, a methodical, shy and very private German, had a hard time filling the shoes of the charismatic John Paul, inviting constant comparison in the media and among the faithful of the 1.3 billion member Church.
Benedict repeatedly apologised for the Church's failure to root out sexual abuse of children by clergy, and although he was the first pope to take serious action against abuse, the efforts failed to halt a rapid decline in church attendance in the West, especially in Europe.
In 2022, an independent report in his native Germany alleged that Benedict had failed to take action in four abuse cases when he was Archbishop of Munich between 1977-1982.
Shaken by the report, he acknowledged in an emotional personal letter that errors had occurred and asked for forgiveness. His lawyers argued in a detailed rebuttal that he was not directly to blame.
"So I want to invite everyone to prayer including everyone who has experienced abuse and suffering in the church. All those who received good gifts from Joseph Ratzinger. And all those who at this time trust that God's goodness and mercy will heal all," Cardinal Marx said.
Victims groups said the couched response squandered an opportunity from a scandal that rattled the Church worldwide.
"Well, what he didn't admit to in his testimony, he could have admitted it sooner. You don't behave like that as Pope and head shepherd, that you secretly admit to certain things. We of course all didn't like that very much," said one attendee at the service, Manfred Weihers.
"I didn't really get much positive from his time. But I must say that I am also not a massive fan of the church. I am just going to look to see what a fuss they will make again," Andreas Knoppik added.
A piano-playing professor and formidable theologian, Benedict was by his own admission a weak leader who struggled to impose himself on the opaque Vatican bureaucracy and stumbled from crisis to crisis during his eight-year reign.
For some conservatives though, alarmed by Francis' progressive moves, they looked to Benedict as the guardian of tradition.
"My memories of Pope Benedict are that he was a man of the church. A theoretician, a gifted theologian if you like. A man who certainly left his mark as pope, who did not please everyone. But also didn't have to and I think we have lost a great Catholic," said Mario Kuehnert from outside the church.
Benedict, who died on Saturday (December 31) will lie in state until Wednesday.
His funeral will be held on Thursday in St Peter's Square and be presided over by Pope Francis. The Vatican has said it will be a simple, solemn and sober ceremony in keeping with his wishes.
(Production: Ayhan Uyanik, Christine Uyanik, Louisa Off, Tanya Wood) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2023. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None