Vatican City, 26
February 2013 (VIS) – Benedict XVI will be “Pontiff emeritus” or “Pope
emeritus”, as Fr. Federico Lombardi, S.J., director of the Holy See
Press Office, reported in a press conference on th final days of the
current pontificate. He will keep the name of “His Holiness, Benedict
XVI” and will dress in a simple white cassock without the mozzetta
(elbow-length cape).
More than 50,000
tickets have already been requested for the Pope's final general
audience tomorrow morning, 27 February, but greater attendance is
expected. Except for the trip around St. Peter's Square in the
popemobile and the exclusion of the “bacciamani” (brief personal
greetings that take place after the ceremony), the audience will take
place as usual. On its conclusion, the Pope will go to the Clementine
Hall of the Vatican Palace to meet with some of the civil authorities
who are present in Rome or who have travelled here to wish him farewell.
Among these dignitaries will be the presidents of Slovakia and of the
German region of Bavaria.
On the morning of 28
February, the last day of his pontificate, the Pope will meet with,
again in the Clementine Hall, the cardinals what are present in Rome. At
4:55pm, in the San Damaso Courtyard of the Vatican Apostolic Palace and
before a detachment of the Swiss Guards, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone,
S.D.B., secretary of State of His Holiness, and and other members of
that dicastery will bid him farewell. The Pope's helicopter will land at
Castel Gandolfo at 5:15pm, where he will be received by Cardinal
Giuseppe Bertello and Bishop Giuseppe Sciacca, respectively president
and secretary general of the Governorate of Vatican City State along
with Bishop Marcello Semeraro of the Diocese of Albano, and civil
authorities of the locality.
Benedict XVI will
appear at the balcony of the Castel Gandolfo Apostolic Palace to greet
those who have gathered in the square to wish him well. The Sede Vacante
will begin at 8:00pm and the Swiss Guards assigned to him at Castel
Gandolfo will take their leave, as their corps is dedicated to the
safe-guarding of the Roman Pontiff. Instead, the Vatican Gendarmerie
will take over the Pope emeritus' safety detail.
Fr. Lombardi also
explained that Bendict XVI will no longer use the “Fisherman's Ring”,
which will be destroyed along with the lead seal of the pontificate.
This task falls to the cardinal camerlengo and his assistants. Likewise,
the Press Office director announced that the Pope will no longer wear
the red papal shoes.
Regarding the
beginning of the Congregations of Cardinals, the dean of the College of
Cardinals will send a letter to all the cardinals on 1 March, calling
them to Rome. “It is likely, therefore,” Fr. Lombardi added, “that the
congregations will begin starting next week.”
The congregations
will be held in the new Synod Hall. The prelates will not be housed in
the Casa Santa Marta residence until the eve of the beginning of the
Conclave for various reasons, including the fact that rooms are to be
assigned by lot during the congregations. (Thanks to VIS:here)
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