After the great funeral service in the Vatican, the deceased pope reaches his last resting place for the time being. Many people are not allowed to accompany Benedict on the last journey. The place where he is now is a very special one.
The coffin of the late former Pope Benedict XVI. was taken to the tomb in St. Peter's Basilica after the funeral service on St. Peter's Square in the Vatican and buried there. This was announced by the press room of the Holy See after the funeral mass. Previously, Pope Francis had led the funeral service for his predecessor for the first time.
The coffin with the body of the native Bavarian had been brought from St. Peter's Square in Rome to the crypt of the basilica - but the public was excluded from this part of the funeral ceremonies. Numerous people had already gathered for the celebration early in the morning. Cardinals and dignitaries from around the world, dressed in red, sat on either side of the coffin during the funeral service. Tens of thousands of people attended the funeral service.
Among the mourners were numerous Germans who paid tribute to the first German Pope in 500 years. 34-year-old Benedikt Rothweiler, who had come from Aachen with his family, said: "We owe him so much. We want to show that we have his back." Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz also attended the funeral service.
Benedict was buried in the original tomb of Pope John Paul II in the crypt beneath St. Peter's Basilica. His remains are now lying next to the Pietà Michelangelo in St. Peter's Basilica, which is why the grave in the grottoes was free. Numerous other popes from the last few centuries are also buried in St. Peter's Basilica.
