60,000 believers at Benedict XVI’s funeral expected

The coffin of the former pope is to be laid out from Monday to Wednesday evening, 35,000 people a day are expected in St. Peter’s Basilica, according to estimates by the Roman prefect Bruno Frattasi. He chaired a meeting on Saturday afternoon about the security precautions Rome will take in view of Benedict’s funeral.

Over 1,000 security forces will be deployed in the Italian capital over the next few days. 500 members of the civil defense will provide information to the pilgrims. During the funeral, the airspace over Rome will be closed, the prefect reported. A strong influx of believers and the arrival of international delegations are expected – mainly from Italy and the home country of the late former pope, Germany.

Pope Francis will celebrate the mourning ceremony for his predecessor in St. Peter’s Basilica on Thursday. According to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni, the funeral of the Pope Emeritus should take place “in the spirit of simplicity” and should therefore be “solemn but sober”.

The entire protocol will be somewhat simplified compared to the funeral of an incumbent pope. But even though Benedict was no longer head of state, Joseph Ratzinger still held the title of pope after his spectacular resignation on February 11, 2013, and the Vatican will do him the honor he deserves.

The remains of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. will rest at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery until early Monday morning. Official visits or public prayers are not planned, the Vatican press office said. The body will be laid out for the faithful in St. Peter’s Basilica from 9 a.m. on Monday. The basilica is open from 9 am to 7 pm, on Tuesday and Wednesday from 7 am to 7 pm.

The emeritus pope is buried in the crypt below St. Peter’s Basilica. According to dpa, the German had wished to be buried in the place where Pope John Paul II first found his resting place after his death, before he was brought to a chapel in St. Peter’s Basilica after his beatification.