Vatican Announces Date of Funeral for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and World Leaders Offer Condolences

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died on December 31, 2022 at the age of 95.  The Vatican released the following funeral information: 

The Holy See's spokesman, Matteo Bruni explained, as of Monday morning, 2 January 2023, the body of the Pope Emeritus will be in Saint Peter's Basilica so the faithful can pay their respects. Funeral plans were revealed a briefing at the Holy See Press office at midday, the director, Matteo Bruni, told journalists that Pope Francis will preside over the funeral of the Pope Emeritus on 5 January at 9.30 CET in St. Peter's Square.
  

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SEE ALSO: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI Dies https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2022/12/breakingnews-pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi.html

Vatican Biography of Benedict XVI Key Moments: https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2022/12/vatican-releases-biography-of-pope.html

US Bishops' President's Statement on the Death of Benedict XVI: https://www.catholicnewsworld.com/2022/12/us-catholic-bishops-presidents.html

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Many world leaders of faith and society have begun to express their condolences. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the head of the government in Germany, the birthplace of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, wrote on Twitter:

As a "German" #Papst was #BenediktXVI . for many not only in this country a special church leader. The world loses a formative figure of the Catholic Church, a contentious personality and a clever theologian. My thoughts are with Pope Francis.

BenediktXVI. für viele nicht nur hierzulande ein besonderer Kirchenführer. Die Welt verliert eine prägende Figur der katholischen Kirche, eine streitbare Persönlichkeit und einen klugen Theologen. Meine Gedanken sind bei Papst Franziskus.

— Bundeskanzler Olaf Scholz (@Bundeskanzler) December 31, 2022

The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, Tweeted:
My thoughts go out to Catholics in France and around the world, bereaved by the departure of His Holiness Benedict XVI, who worked with soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world.

Mes pensées vont aux catholiques de France et du monde, endeuillés par le départ de Sa Sainteté Benoît XVI, qui œuvra avec âme et intelligence pour un monde plus fraternel.

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 31, 2022

The president of Hungary, Katalin Novak wrote on Twitter:

🏴May Pope Benedict XVI rest in peace.

— Katalin Novák (@KatalinNovakMP) December 31, 2022

 In a statement issued soon after the news broke from the Vatican, the President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC), Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB, said the late German-born Pope will long be remembered fondly in Australia as the Pontiff who led young people from around the globe in prayer at World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008.
“From his time as an expert adviser at the Second Vatican Council onwards, there was no question that Joseph Ratzinger was a major figure within the Church around the world, he said.  “His papacy will be remembered as one of rich teaching, including his encyclicals on love, hope and truth, as well as his book series Jesus of Nazareth, and for important reforms in areas like liturgy and in the handling of child sexual abuse.”
Archbishop  Fisher (Australia):  a gentle father figure
Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP, the bishop who oversaw World Youth Day in 2008, said Pope Benedict XVI had been a key influence and someone with whom he became close. “Reminiscing about his time in Australia and learning from this gentle father figure was a real joy,” he said, remarking that “He had a great intellect, which he shared through his work as a professor, a Church leader and ultimately as Pope”.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols (UK): a gentleman, and a man of God
English Cardinal Vincent Nichols of Westminster describes Pope Benedict as a pastor, a scholar, a gentleman, and a man of God.
Pope Benedict was through and through a gentleman, through and through a scholar, through and through a pastor, through and through a man of God – close to the Lord and always, always his humble servant.
The President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales (CBCEW) says he has fond memories of Pope Benedict XVI’s historic visit to the UK in 2010. “It was a remarkable event. Remarkable in many, many ways”, he says, noting that the “two weeks of criticism, rancour and distress” expressed by some ahead of the visit “soon dissipated”, and turned into enthusiasm.  “We saw his courtesy, his gentleness, the perceptiveness of his mind and the openness of his welcome to everybody that he met.”
“"We saw in the person of Pope Benedict, nothing to do with the name that he’d been given of ‘God’s Rottweiler’, but at the end of the visit, as one commentator said, he appeared as everybody’s favourite grandfather."”
According to Cardinal Nichols, Benedict's visit to the UK in September 2010 marked a turning point for the Catholic Church: “That visit, especially the visit to Westminster Hall, still resonates – it still gives Catholic politicians a platform and a continuing respect.”

Sources: Vatican News and Twitter