MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Faithful pay their last respects to Pope Benedict XVI

Thursday's funeral will be the first in modern history with a sitting pope presiding over the ceremony marking the end of the life of another pope.

The body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has been set on display at St. Peter's Basilica for the faithful to pay their tribute to Pope Francis' predecessor until Wednesday.

Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger's body lies on a catafalque covered by a golden cloth, surrounded by two Swiss guards in full dress, in front of the main altar of the basilica dominated by the black bronze baldachin with imposing twisted columns designed by the baroque master Gian Lorenzo Bernini.

Bishop Georg Gänswein, the Pope Emeritus' longtime private secretary, said Benedict XVI's last words were “Lord, I love you,” in Italian.

It is estimated that about 30,000 people will parade past the remains of the former pope each day. Access will be available from 06H00 GMT to 18H00 GMT Tuesday and Wednesday.

The faithful enter in silence through the central aisle of the world's largest Catholic temple, most of them taking pictures with their cell phones of the body of the former pope vested in a traditional red chasuble with a miter adorned with a golden border but without the pallium (the latter a symbol of jurisdiction which is normally not used for a retired prelate). His face is almost unrecognizable. Among the first to arrive were Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Sergio Mattarella.

The remains of the first German pontiff of the modern era were transferred in the early hours of the morning from the small private chapel of the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, where he had resided since his resignation in 2013.

The conservative Ratzinger stepped down in 2013 after eight years as pontiff, citing declining strength. Francis paid several public tributes to Benedict XVI, the “faithful servant of the Gospel and of the Church.” The current pope is to preside over the funeral in St. Peter's Square. It will be the first time in modern history that a pope presides over the funeral of his predecessor, bringing the saga of the two popes to an end. The Requiem Mass is set to take place Thursday morning in St Peter’s Square, beginning at 9:30 am Rome time. At the end of the funeral, the coffin of the emeritus pontiff will be buried in the Vatican grottoes under St. Peter's, where the tombs of the popes are located, the Vatican said in a communiqué.

A long line of the faithful and other well-wishers had already formed early Monday morning before the viewing officially began at 9 am Rome time, Vatican News reported.

On Monday morning, the Pope Emeritus’ remains were translated from the Monastery’s chapel to the Basilica in a private ceremony, presided over by Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, who holds the title of Archpriest of St Peter’s. The brief ceremony lasted approximately half an hour.

The exposition of the body will continue through Wednesday, with the Basilica open to the faithful from 9 am to 7 pm on Monday, and from 7 am to 7 pm on Tuesday and Wednesday.