Until 2 pm, the area around St. Peter’s will be a red zone with access controlled by the police. 100,000 people were expected, heads of state and leaders of other faiths
05 January
Everything is ready in the Vatican for i funeral of Benedict XVIwhich will be celebrated at 9.30 by Pope Francis: until 2.00 pm the area around St. Peter’s in Rome will be red zone, with accesses manned by the forces of order, a thousand agents in the field and a ban on flying over the area of the square. One expects influx of about 100 thousand people, but the first faithful arrived at the crack of dawn and were already lined up in the areas around St. Peter’s Square.
Armored St. Peter’s Square
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To access St. Peter’s Square you will need to pass the checks with ‘rapiscan’ and metal detectors. The presence of helicopters, snipers, special inter-force departments including those of anti-terrorism, firefighters, 118 and local police is also arranged. The roads leading to the Basilica are inaccessible to traffic, with law enforcement officers guarding the various entrances. The “red zone” extends from via della Conciliazione to piazza Risorgimento. The access of the faithful is allowed from both sides of Piazza San Pietrowhile the exit lane of the Basilica will be used for the outflow.
ENHANCED PUBLIC TRANSPORT
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Obviously over the whole area they are health facilities are presentwith ambulances and 118 stations. Also employed are 500 volunteers from the Civil Protection who have been available to pilgrims for days to give information on queues and expectations to pay homage to Benedict XVI. Public transport has also been improved with two exchange areas, one in Anagnina and one in Laurentina in order to allow pilgrims to reach St. Peter’s more easily.
At the end of the three days of exposure of the body in St. Peter’s Basilica, the coffin closing ritual of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. The former pontiff’s coffin has a first coating in cypress, a second in zinc and a final one in oak. After the funeral Ratzinger will be buried in the Vatican grottoes in a private ceremony. In the cypress coffin that contains the body of Benedict XVI were placed the medals of the Pontificatei balls and the deeda text describing Ratzinger’s pontificate, which is placed in a metal cylinder.
present authorities from all over the world
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There will be no funerals political authorities around the world. The only official state delegations that will attend the funeral ceremony will be the Italian one, led by the President Sergio Mattarella, and that of Germany, the country of origin of Benedict XVI. All the other expected institutional representatives, however, will be attending the funeral “in a personal capacity”, as stated in a note by Matteo Bruni, director of the press office of the Holy See. They confirmed their presence on ruler of Belgium Philipthe Queen Mother of Spain Sofiawho will be accompanied by the minister for the Spanish presidency Félix Bolaños and by Cardinal Juan José Omella, the Polish president Andrzej Duda and the president of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. On the front of the authorities of the religious world, a delegation from the Orthodox Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Live TV funeral for Benedict XVI
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The funeral of Benedict XVI will be broadcast live on TV as soon as possible from 9:30 this morning and can be followed live on Rai1.
January 05, 2023 – 09:02
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