It was an occasion attended by a mixture of people, pious and curious spectators and professional observers, all brought together by the death of a man who retired almost ten years ago.
Monks, priests, nuns, cardinals, bishops – all layers of the Catholic community were represented in St. Peter’s Square for the funeral of Pope Benedict XVI.
And then there were thousands of devotees who came here to pay their respects.
Among them were nuns from Nigeria, both of whom called Benedict ‘brave’ for his decision to retire at the age of 85, with one saying he should be seen as a Holy.
A missionary from the Philippines said she considers the former pope “faithful and humble” – an example for everyone in the church.
Cardinal Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster and leader of Catholics in England and Wales, was also present, with people waiting patiently around him asking for his blessing.
“I knew Pope Benedict quite well so I feel a real sadness and a sense of loss,” he said, “but I think that warmth was also a reflection of his personality.
“What sticks with people is that he was gentle – he was a gentleman – and he had great insight and sensitivity.
“Everyone who met him left with this feeling of a warm and courteous man, with whom one could identify, whatever the difficulties one was tackling.
“That’s what went around among people today – they were saying goodbye to someone who was just lovely.”
Please use Chrome browser for more accessible video player
The coffin of Pope Benedict XVI laid before the altar
No dissent despite criticism in his life
Around him, there was no dispute. Pope Benedict has had many critics in his life, including those who said he was not doing enough to deal with the sex abuse scandals within his church, but today was not a forum for these debates.
It was, basically, the funeral of a venerable man, with most, if not all, of the trappings of a complete papal event.
And that’s what attracted the curious too, because it was a day of public spectacle and there were people who just came to say that they had been there, or to post a photo among the crowd.
Then there were the professionals – politicians, royals and representatives as well as police, doctors and support staff.
Alongside them were the Swiss Guard, which protects the Vatican, journalists from dozens of countries and diligent street cleaners who cleaned up before and after the ceremony.
The third coffin of former Pope Benedict is closed in the Vatican’s Holy Grotto. Photo: Vatican Media/Reuters
St. Peter’s Square was far from full – but it was still special
The service was barely over when the barriers were lifted – the Vatican is very good at handling crowds.
It was not like the funeral of the previous pope, John Paul II, whose death brought millions to Italy and created an outpouring of grief from around the world.
Benedict didn’t spend so much time in the job, didn’t engender such love, and didn’t die in office. St. Peter’s Square, which can hold hundreds of thousands of people, was far from full.
Read more:
Thousands line up to see Pope Benedict’s body on display
But it was still a special occasion. There were times when the applause echoed around the whole congregation, when the music seemed to seep through the haze; when the crowd held their breath as they watched Pope Francis kiss the coffin containing the body of his predecessor.
It was the day when normal order was restored to the Catholic Church – when shared affection ended and attention returned to the only person left in the world who was proclaimed pope.
The question now, for devotees, the curious and professional observers, is this: was Benedict XVI’s decision to step down a one-off curiosity or a precedent that Francis could follow?
On a day when the Vatican marked the past, many are wondering about the future.
