Pope Benedict XVI Laid to Rest This Week
Pope Benedict XVi will be laid to rest in St Peter's, Rome on Thursday following his funeral which will be led by Pope Francis.
Usually when a Pope dies there is a conclave shortly after and the funeral does not take place until all the the Cardinals have arrived in Rome.
As the Pope Emeritus things will be different for Benedict's service but we will be able to join with our Catholic brothers and sisters around the world in giving thanks for his life.
Bishop Martin said this week:
With the Catholic Church and many other Christians throughout the world, we give thanks for the life of Pope Benedict XVI, praying that Jesus Christ, whom he loved and served, he will receive him into the sleep of peace and the fullness of life in the Resurrection.
On hearing news of the Papal election in April 2005, I asked a Roman Catholic friend what Cardinal Ratzinger would be like as Pope Benedict? My friend replied, "He will be Peter" - the courageous Apostle in whose steps Pope Benedict walked. That proved to be an accurate assessment of a Pope who understood human weakness and the power of God to transform it into faith and goodness.
Pope Benedict's death should prompt us to recall his visit to Britain in 2010. His landmark speech in Westminster Hall honoured our best commitments to human dignity, while challenging us to recognise the contribution of Christian faith, from which they are drawn. That challenge is a legacy we should continue to value.