Mourners reflect on legacy of Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI was mourned Thursday at a funeral service held in St. Peter's Basilica and led by Pope Francis. A respected theologian, Benedict was the first pope to retire in six centuries and is remembered for his efforts to combat scandals and outreach to other faiths. However, his legacy was marred by the clergy sexual abuse scandal, with many survivors and advocates feeling he should have done more to address the issue. On the day of funeral, mourners and Catholic faithful, reflected on the religious leader, born in southern Germany, as Joseph Ratzinger. Pope Francis bowed and touched the coffin after Mass, and a supporters on St. Peter’s Square later chanted “Sainthood Now!”
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Pope Francis has met with Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, the longtime secretary of Pope Benedict XVI. Gaenswein was a key figure in his recent funeral but has raised eyebrows with an extraordinary memoir in which he settles old scores and reveals palace intrigue about the decade-long cohabitation of the two pontiffs.
