May 02, 2013: Thursday afternoon, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI returned to take up permanent
residence in Vatican City State. Pope Francis welcomed him home. In style with his
own personal manner, Pope Francis left the formalities of a welcoming ceremony to
Vatican authorities, who awaited the arrival of the Pope Emeritus at the Vatican heliport.
These included Cardinals Bertello - President of the Governatorate, Bertone - Secretary
of State, and Sodano - the deacon of the College of Cardinals as well as some bishops.
But Pope Francis was awaiting his predecessor at the entrance to the “Mater
Ecclesiae” Monastery in the Vatican Gardens where Benedict will be residing. Together
they preceded to the chapel for a brief moment of prayer.
The Pope Emeritus
left the Vatican on February 28th after his resignation, and had been staying at the
Apostolic Palace in Castel Gandolfo in the Alban Hills. He chose to leave the Vatican
immediately after his resignation to physically remove himself from the process of
electing his successor.
His absence also gave workers time to finish up renovations
on the monastery on the edge of the Vatican gardens that until last year housed groups
of cloistered nuns who were invited for a few years at a time to live inside the Vatican
to pray for the Pontiff and Church at large.
In the small building, with a
chapel attached, Benedict will live with his personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein,
and the four consecrated women who do the housekeeping and prepare his meals. Inside
the building, Benedict has at his disposal a small library and a study. A guest room
is available for when his brother, Monsignor Georg Ratzinger, comes to visit.
Today’s
was not the first meeting between the Pope and the Pope Emeritus. In fact Francis
visited Benedict in March in Castel Gandolfo, and they have spoken by telephone. It
is however the first time in history that two Popes will be next-door neighbours!