Pope Benedict XVI: Lying in state at the Vatican begins

The body of former Pope Benedict XVI is lying in state in St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for mourners to pay their respects.

The doors of St Peter's Basilica opened for viewing by the public at just after 9am local time.

Public viewing lasts for 10 hours on Monday in St Peter's Basilica.

Security officials expect at least 25,000 people to pass by the body on the first day of viewing.

Twelve hours of viewing are scheduled for Tuesday and Wednesday before Thursday morning's funeral, which will be led by Pope Francis, at St Peter's Square. It will be the first time a current pontiff has officiated at the funeral of a former one.

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Evening Standard on socials:

[edwardnestor]

Now he is in the place reserved for him, please remember the children who have suffered because of him.

[leDevLV]

yes... picture the dead man ... make amuzements... que in line to picture a dead man... wtf is this world?

[ernestpoke]

Being in any religion cannot save you.

[ajthompson]

Why taking pictures though. So nasty 🤮

Humanity is so weird .

[sallyannwheeler]

What about all those children that suffered?! 🤔

[rogerdotson]

People are sick. How disrespectful taking pictures of a deceased man

[Dan-lfvr]

At least the kids are safe from him now

[Jinnysworld]

Bit surprised to see his body on display like that. Thought it would be in a ceremonial coffin. That's a heck of a lot of embalming there.

[sharonthembekajack]

All the cover ups he oversaw regarding child abuse

[shalakushka]

Everyone come and take a photo of his body so you can upload it to FB for some reactions. What a morbid society we live in.

[pitbull]

I wonder if his soul has already left him and is on the way the Hell!

[stanleymmcgregor]

Queen Elizabeth should have been lying in state like this also .but she was to badly decomposed .

[howard]

It's a bit unsavoury to be taking photos and film of a dead body 😞

[mickp]

I went to the Vatican once and put my tent up outside for the night.
I saw the pope come out from a door and came up to me. My friend was watching from a distance and after came over and said " he came out and blessed you" I said no he said take that tent down and clear off.! RIP

[Unethical.Dodgson]

I'm just waiting for the next phase of the boss battle to begin.

[msc]

Only a human like us .nothing special here

[classic-hbvs]

It is sick when an adult prays on children.
What is even sicker is when adults will not support the children for what this
monster did to them.

[nikg]

I wouldn't have the nerve to whip my phone out to take pics

[fishmud]

He's going straight to a place beginning with H !

[VLove-CFII]

He may be the spiritual head of the world's largest Christian church, but a cousin of Pope Benedict the XVI says that he is still a naughty boy to her.

Steffie Brzakovic, 78, of Cooma, received a call from her famous first cousin shortly after his election in a papal conclave in April.

It was the first time she had heard from him in more than 50 years.

Mrs. Brzakovic, who was raised in the southern Germany city of Weilheim before moving to Australia in 1956, said she remembered Joseph Ratzinger as a young boy who was often up to no good.

"He was everywhere he shouldn't [have] been, she recalled yesterday, shaking her head. "When I think today of what we did, it's a wonder that [we are] alive."

When she received the phone call three months ago she first thought it was a prank. It wasn't until His Holiness told her it was "Ratzinger Pepi", referring to his childhood nickname, that she realized who was on the other end.

"I said, 'Are you the Pope?' and he [replied]. 'But for you I am still Ratzinger Pepi'."

Mrs. Brzakovic was raised as a Roman Catholic, but became a Jehovah's Witness in the 1970's.

She said that while her religious differences with her family had caused frustration, the Pope had encouraged her for following her faith.

"He told me that 'You are doing the work that we should do', " she said, referring to her church's missionary work. "He said, 'You have halls that are not too big, but they are full. We have cathedrals, churches, chapels and they are empty'."

Mrs. Brzakovic is spending this weekend at a Jehovah's Witness convention in Canberra with about 3000 district worshippers.


its only a matter of time before we get the The Pontifex Maximus down to a bible study! Once he realises that we have 'the truth', then he shall issue a Papal bull stating that all Catholics should become witnesses, and then we shall be in the big time, lookout haters!