Bahrain Royal Family condoles with His Holiness Pope Francis
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The leaders of Bahrain yesterday sent cables of condolences to His Holiness Pope Francis, following the passing of former Pope Benedict XVI, joining political and religious leaders across the globe in remembering the life and legacy of the late Pope.
His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, offered sincere condolences and sympathy to His Holiness Pope Francis, the family and relatives of the deceased and all friendly countries, wishing the late Pope mercy and forgiveness.
HM King commended the efforts exerted by the late Pope Benedict XVI to promote the culture of peace, love and peaceful coexistence among peoples all over the world. Benedict XVI was hailed as one of the greatest minds and most influential figures of the 20th and early 21st centuries.
His Royal Highness highlighted the efforts and contributions of the late Pope Benedict XVI to foster peace, love and coexistence among people all over the world.
Yesterday, the Vatican released the first images of the late Benedict, showing him dressed in red and gold liturgical vestments and laying in state in the chapel of the monastery where he died.
His body will be moved privately to the basilica, unlike what followed the death in 2005 of Pope John Paul, whose body was moved in a solemn outdoor procession that was televised live around the world.
In accordance with Benedict's wishes, his funeral on Thursday will be simple and solemn.
It will be the first time in many centuries that a sitting pope will preside at the funeral of his predecessor. Benedict, who stepped down in 2013, had been the first pontiff in 600 years to resign.
Jan. 1 is also the feast of the Mother of God and in his homily, Francis asked the Madonna to accompany "our beloved" Pope Emeritus Benedict "on his passage from this world to God".
Benedict was also remembered in one of the prayers at the Mass. On Saturday night the Vatican released Benedict's two-page "spiritual testimony" written in 2006, a year after his election as pope.
In it, he asked in a general, spiritual way, that God would welcome him to internal life "despite all my sins and insufficiencies".
Francis on Saturday called Benedict a noble, kind man who was a gift to the Church and the world.
While tributes to the former pope continued to be made by world leaders, and conservative members of the faithful, others were highly critical of his pontificate.
Some recalled the severe discipline he meted out to progressive theologians, particularly in Latin America, when he was head of the Vatican's doctrinal department under Pope John Paul II.
Those actions prompted liberal Catholics to dub then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger "God's Rottweiler".
And while some have credited Benedict with taking important steps to formalise the Vatican's response to clergy sexual abuse, victims groups accused him of protecting the institution at all costs.
Like many Vatican officials who worked with Benedict, Canadian Cardinal Marc Ouellet said he believed the German pontiff had left behind "a great legacy" as a man of God and a man of culture.
"I believe this is also a task for the future, to deeply rethink the Christian faith in the face of the challenges of our time," Ouellet told Reuters.
Related Posts