Saying Goodbye To Former Pope Benedict
It is heartbreaking to hear that the former Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has died, aged 95. Today, we’re looking at what Emeritus will get remembered and a broader look into the papacy in our modern world.
Pope Benedict XVI, born in 1927 as Joseph Ratzinger, got elected to head of the Catholic Church following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. He resigned from the position as head of the Catholic Church in 2013 due to deteriorating health, being succeeded by current Pope Francis. The former leader passed away on December 31st, 2022, and a funeral mass got held on January 5th, 2023.
There are many things that Pope Benedict XVI did throughout his years of being head of the Church. However, many think Benedict would get remembered for his resignation. Not many popes in history have stepped down from the position. More often, they hold it until their passing. But Ratzinger decided to move on, becoming the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years. The President of the United States, Joe Biden, said that the late leader would get remembered as a renowned theologian.
The exact workings of the papacy, as well as Vatican City, are very complicated. Today, I’m giving you a simplified version for better understanding. Located in Rome, Italy, Vatican City is the smallest country in the world, with an area of only 0.44 square kilometres, and you could walk around it in less than 1 hour. Surprisingly, it has all the things one country may have, only on a miniature scale. It has its government and laws, a police force to enforce those laws, etc.
Most of the population in Vatican City State are people working for the Pope, like bishops, cardinals and bodyguards. There is one person that most wouldn’t know of, the King of Vatican City, which makes the state one of the last absolute monarchies in the world, and also why it isn’t allowed to join the democracy-only European Union. You never hear of a king because he happens to be the Bishop of Rome, the Head of the Catholic Church, who is the Pope. The dual role makes the Pope the head of religion and state, having absolute judicial, executive, and legislative power within the borders of Vatican City.
As all bishops have thrones to sit on, the Pope also has one, a fancy throne that is also a complicated entity, which is the Holy See. Legally, the Holy See is a justified person and is more-or-less eternal as it has endured the replacing of many popes. So the Holy See isn’t just the physical thing but also symbolizes the rules that define the Catholic Church. If you still don’t understand, here’s a common analogy. Think of the Holy See as a company, say Holy See, Inc., that has land and gets recognized as a country, where the Pope is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and has absolute power within that country. Even with this analogy, it’s still strange that the United Nations has the Holy See as a member, not Vatican City State, and passports issued by the Holy See get accepted by other countries.
All in all, Vatican City, as small as it may be, holds significant influence over those who believe in the religion and has many visitors coming to see the marvels and artefacts housed within its borders.
I’m sure Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be remembered for years to come, and may he rest in peace. That’s the end of this production from the New News Newsminute. Thank you for reading, and tune in next week for more news updates.