james 
"Lord, I…": Pope Benedict's Last Words Recorded By His Bedside Nurse
Former pope Benedict XVI died at 95, the Vatican introduced Saturday, nearly a decade after he have become the primary pontiff to renounce in six centuries. According to his bedside nurse, the pope’s final phrases had been recorded. Archbishop Georg Ganswein, Benedict’s non-public secretary, instructed Vatican News, “With only a whisper of a voice, however in a definitely distinguishable manner, [Benedict] stated in Italian, ‘Lord, I love you!’ I turned into now no longer there, however the nurse instructed me approximately it quickly afterwards.”
Mr Ganswein added, “These had been his final understandable phrases due to the fact afterwards, he turned into not capable of specific himself.” The German pope emeritus, whose start call turned into Joseph Ratzinger, have been dwelling a quiet lifestyles in a former convent withinside the Vatican grounds considering the fact that his stunned choice to step down in February 2013, stated AFP.
According to Vatican News, his fitness have been declining for a long term and on Wednesday his scenario worsened, even as his successor Pope Francis known as for Catholics global to hope for him. Tens of hundreds of human beings paid their respects on Monday to former pope Benedict XVI on the Vatican, beginning 3 days of lying-in-nation in St Peter’s Basilica earlier than his funeral.
They commenced queueing earlier than sunrise to view the German theologian’s body, which turned into transferred early withinside the morning from the monastery at the Vatican grounds wherein he died on Saturday elderly 95. “I arrived at 6:00 am, it regarded regular to return back and pay homage to him in spite of everything he did for the church,” stated an Italian nun, sister Anna-Maria, close to the the front of the road that snaked across the substantial St Peter’s Square.
Benedict led the Catholic Church for 8 years to 2013 earlier than turning into the primary pope in six centuries to step down, mentioning declining fitness. His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on Thursday in St Peter’s Square earlier than Benedict’s stays are located withinside the tombs below the basilica.
He could be buried withinside the tomb which held pope John Paul II’s stays till 2011, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni stated Monday. Benedict’s body, wearing pink papal mourning gowns and a gold-edged mitre, turned into laid out on a catafalque draped in gold material in the front of the altar of St Peter’s, flanked with the aid of using Swiss Guards. Many of that submitting beyond took pics on their smartphones, even as a few prayed or made the signal of the cross.
