The Vatican is getting ready solemn funeral of Benedict XVI, which will take place this Thursday, January 5 starting at half past nine in the morning.

The remains of the pope venerable remained in the monastery. Mater Ecclesia since the time of his death. This Monday, the coffin of the pope, who broke the 600-year tradition of not renouncing the pontificate, was put into storage. Moved to St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.

Rome is preparing to say goodbye to the 35,000 people who will come to see the remains of Joseph Ratzinger, and on the day of the funeral on Thursday the 5th there will be between 50,000 and 60,000 people, According to the Prefect of Rome, Bruno Frattazi: “It will depend on several variables, including the weather, but it looks like everything will be fine,” the official warned. Secondly, over a thousand agents they provide security.

Funeral for former Supreme Pontiff to be presided over his successor Pope Francis. This will act”solemn, but sober” respect the will of the deceased, who before his death asked for a simple farewell, indicate in the Liaison Department of the Holy See. The funeral, which will also be unique in the history of the Church, breaks with another tradition as “never before has a Pope buried his predecessor,” they stress. There will be no subsequent conclave, since Ratzinger does not leave a single vacant post.

Funeral of Benedict XVI

The body of the honorary pope will buried on Thursday in a crypt under St. Peter’swhere many other pontiffs of the Catholic Church rest. Italian media are considering the possibility that the remains of Benedict XVI are in the tomb of John Paul II, his predecessor. The Polish pope was moved in 2011 to the surface of the basilica.

The Catholic Church doesn’t really have a specific protocol for the burial of an honorary pontiff, so it will Pope Francis makes decisions about the guidelines to be followed.

Honorary Pope to be buried without wearing a canopy to be placed in a coffin, as it is done with honorary bishops. Instead, he will wear papal vestments: a miter on his head and a red chasuble or mantle (the papal mourning color) over a white tunic.

Another tradition of papal funerals is bury them with three coffins. One is made of cypress wood and covered with liturgical crimson velvet. This coffin is placed inside the second, made of lead, with purple silk cords. It is also sealed in melted wax with the coat of arms of the Pope. Finally, this coffin is placed inside the third, where they bring in three leather bags with gold, silver and copper coinsnot forgetting the parchment on which the most important achievements of his career as pontiff are recorded in Latin.

What will the ceremony be like?

During the ceremony there will be two official delegations led by: Italy and Germanythe birthplace of the deceased. However, the private presence of many other heads of state and government from around the world is also expected.

After the Eucharistic Liturgy, the coffin of Benedict XVI will be taken to the Vatican grottoes and is buried in a crypt in St. Peter’s Basilica along with previous popes.

The funeral of Pope Benedict XVI will take place fifth day of his death. It will be at 9:30 am, as confirmed by the press office of the Holy See. For safety on this day airspace will be closed in San Pedro Square.

While the remains of the Emeritus Pope, which have been on display in the Clementine Hall of St. Peter’s Basilica (Rome) since Monday, are still cared for in his funerary chapel, the rest of the world will be able to attend through a screen.

RTVE to offer live funeral of Benedict XVI

RTVE will offer the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI live on all of its channels this Thursday the 5th in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. The ceremony will take place from 9:30 am under the presidency of Pope Francis.

According to the public corporation, starting at 8:50 am, La 1 and RTVE Play will offer a special news broadcast hosted by Carlos Franganillo, accompanied by Lorenzo Mila, former correspondent in Rome, Antonina Vozna, doctor of theology and member of the Association of Spanish Theologians, and Juan Carlos Ramos, director of El Dia del Señor. There will be connections in Rome and the Vatican with correspondent Begogna Alegria and special envoy Javier Gutierrez.

Radio 5 will also offer an informative episode hosted by Elena Guijarro. Correspondent Jordi Barcia and special envoy Monica Cartes will be in Rome, while José Pedro Manglano, priest and author of several books on Pope Benedict XVI, will be in the studio; Juan José Tamayo, a liberation theologian, and Jorge Morales Arraes, seminary teacher in Madrid and professor at the University of San Damaso. In addition, two former RNE correspondents in Rome will intervene: Iñaki Diez, who spoke about the resignation of Josef Ratzinger in 2013, and Angel Garcia.

Finally, the RTVE Noticias portal will collect the most outstanding information, images and reactions from the farewell of Benedict XVI in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.