Funeral Attendance Expected to Reach Tens of Thousands on Thursday

On Tuesday, thousands of mourners, including Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, paid their respects to former Pope Benedict as his body lay in state in St. Peter’s Basilica for the second day. Orban, following Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, stood with his wife in prayer before Benedict’s remains.

The Vatican reported that approximately 25,000 visitors had paid tribute by noon on Tuesday, adding to the 65,000 who came on Monday. The passing of Benedict, who made history in 2013 as the first pope in 600 years to resign rather than serve for life, may influence Pope Francis’s own decisions regarding his papacy.

Pope Francis will officiate Benedict’s funeral in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday, with Vatican police estimating attendance in the tens of thousands. Due to the fact that Benedict was no longer a reigning pontiff at the time of his death, official delegations are limited to those from Italy and Germany. However, several heads of state, including the presidents of Poland and Hungary, as well as the monarchs of Spain and Belgium, are expected to attend privately.

During the public viewing, Benedict’s body has not been adorned with papal regalia such as a crosier or pallium, which signifies the role of a pope as the shepherd of his flock. This decision appears to underscore that Benedict was no longer pope at the time of his passing.

The liturgy for the funeral Mass on Thursday will primarily follow that of a reigning pope, with some adjustments, as noted by Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni. Inside Benedict’s coffin, three palliums will be included along with coins and medals minted during his papacy, as well as a sealed lead tube containing a Latin document detailing his pontificate.

In keeping with tradition for popes, Benedict’s body will be placed in a cypress coffin, which will be transported from St. Peter’s Basilica to the square for the funeral service.