Pope Emeritus Benedict XVl was an 'enormously powerful figure: Bishop Robert Barron
Bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota Bishop Robert Barron discusses the life and legacy of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVl on 'Fox News Live.'
Pope Benedict XVI's personal secretary, who served him in multiple capacities for almost two decades, will soon publish a book on his experiences with the late pontiff.
Archbishop Georg Gänswein serves as the prefect of the papal household and was a constant companion of Pope Benedict before his death.
The archbishop is now publishing his insider book on the late pope, titled, "Nothing but the Truth: My Life Beside Pope Benedict XVI."
POPE BENEDICT'S LAST WORDS, ACCORDING TO HIS BEDSIDE NURSE
Pope Benedict XVI and his private secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, at Munich Airport on June 22, 2020. (Sven Hoppe/picture alliance via Getty Images)
The Vatican announced Benedict passed away Saturday at 9:34 a.m. He was 95 years old.
The late pontiff's body is being held in Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Vatican City, where he spent the majority of his life post-papacy.
POPE EMERITUS BENEDICT XVI DEAD AT 95, VATICAN SAYS
Archbishop Georg Gänswein prays in front of the body of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI at St. Peter's Basilica on Jan. 2, 2023. (Stefano Costantino/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Gänswein's memoirs are set for publication later this month. His writings reportedly document Pope Benedict's perspective on major Catholic issues, including the pedophilia scandal, the Vatileaks documents, and his own unexpected retirement.
"These pages contain a personal testimony of the greatness of a meek man, a fine scholar, a cardinal, and a pope who made the history of our time," Gänswein told the Italian press of the book. "But they are also a firsthand account that seeks to shed light on some misunderstood aspects of his pontificate and to describe the real ‘Vatican world’ from within."
Pope Francis and Archbishop Georg Gaenswein during the weekly general audience in the Paul VI Hall. Vatican City, Jan. 15, 2020. (Grzegorz Galazka/Archivio Grzegorz Galazka/Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images)
On the eve of the first day of Pope Emeritus Benedict's body being available for viewing, Italian police predicted 30,000 visitors. By the end of the evening, 65,000 people passed through St. Peter's Basilica.
On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica ahead of his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
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Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI arrives for his departure at Munich Airport in Freising, Germany, after a four-day visit with his ailing elder brother. (Sven Hoppe/dpa via AP)
On Jan. 5, Pope Francis will preside over the late pontiff's funeral Mass in St. Peter's Square, the Vatican stated.