King Charles III, head of the Anglican Church, praised on Saturday the “constant efforts” of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI for peace and rapprochement between Catholics and Protestants, saying he received the news of his death with “deep sadness.”
“I also remember your constant efforts to promote peace and goodwill among all peoples, and to strengthen the relationship between the world Anglican community and the Roman Catholic Church,” said the 15-state ruler whose United Kingdom, who lived for 30 years inter-community conflict in Northern Ireland until the 1998 agreement and where Benedict XVI made a historic visit in 2010.
“A more fraternal world”
Emmanuel Macron for his part saluted the memory of the one who “worked with soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world”.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, whose resignation in 2013 shocked the entire world, died on Saturday at the age of 95 in the monastery in the Vatican gardens where he had retired.
The 265th pope’s funeral should be celebrated by his successor Francis in Rome, an unprecedented event in the 2,000-year history of the Catholic Church that could be attended by tens of thousands of people, including heads of state.
Source: BFM TV
