Pope Francis paid tribute to the late Pope Benedict XVI who passed away in the Vatican last Saturday.
“At this moment, my thought goes spontaneously to dear Pope emeritus Benedict XVI who left us this morning. We are moved as we recall him as such a noble person, so kind,” Pope Francis said in a statement.
Francis then thanked the former Pope for his service to the Catholic Church.
“And we feel such gratitude in our hearts: gratitude to God for having given him to the Church and to the world; gratitude to him for all the good he accomplished, and above all, for his witness of faith and prayer, especially in these last years of his recollected life,” he added.
“Only God knows the value and the power of his intercession, of the sacrifices he offered for the good of the Church,” Pope Francis continued.
Pope Benedict died at the age of 95 on Saturday according to the Vatican.
“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement
The body of Pope Benedict will be brought to St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday for public viewing.
