Pope Francis leads Benedict’s funeral as supporters seek sainthood

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) – Pope Francis led the funeral of former Pope Benedict yesterday, tenderly touching the coffin of his predecessor as he stood supported on a cane before tens of thousands of mourners, some of who called for the late pontiff to be made a saint.

Benedict’s death on Saturday brought to an end a decade of the former and present pope living side-by-side in the Vatican and it was the first time in more than 200 years that a pontiff had led the service for his predecessor.

His death was a loss for conservatives who yearned for a return to a more traditional Church symbolised by Benedict, who shocked the world in 2013, by becoming the first pope in 600 years to resign instead of reigning for life.

At the end of the funeral in St. Peter’s Square, some people shouted in Italian “Santo Subito!” (Make him a saint now!). It was the same phrase used at the funeral of Pope John Paul II in 2005, although by many more people then.

While three of the last five popes have been made saints, only around a third of all pontiffs have been canonised in the Church’s 2,000-year history.

Francis, who sat for most of the service because of a knee ailment, rose at the end as Benedict’s coffin was being carried away for a private burial inside St Peter’s Basilica. Bowing his head in silent prayer, Francis briefly touched the casket.

At 86, Francis, who has been using a wheelchair but has shown no signs of slowing down, with trips planned for Africa and Portugal in the coming months, is a year older now than Benedict was when he retired.

Francis himself has made clear that he would not hesitate to step down some day if his mental or physical health prevented him from carrying out his duties, but Vatican officials always doubted he could do this while Benedict was still alive.