“The coffin of the sovereign pontiff emeritus will be taken to St. Peter’s Basilica and then to the Vatican caves. [que albergan las tumbas de los papas] to be buried there,” the Vatican said in the statement.
The coffin of the German theologian Joseph Ratzinger will be on display from Monday to Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica so that the faithful can pay homage to him.
His funeral will be presided over by Pope Francis on Thursday.
Related note: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI dies, Vatican reports
It is the first time in modern history that a pope has presided over his predecessor’s funeral.
The official biographer of Benedict XVI revealed in 2020 that he wanted to be buried in the tomb of John Paul II, of whom he was a close collaborator, in the crypt of San Pedro. The Vatican, however, did not say if this will be the case.
The tomb has been empty since John Paul II’s coffin was moved to a side chapel at his beatification in 2011.
The entrance Benedict XVI will be buried in a crypt of Saint Peter’s Basilica was first published on newspaper TODAY.
