The parchment written in Latin with the most significant dates of Benedict XVI’s life, inserted in the cypress coffin containing his mortal remains, and which will be buried in the Vatican caves, emphasizes that «he fought firmly against abuses».
«He fought firmly against crimes committed by representatives of the clergy against minors or vulnerable people, constantly calling the Church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification,» reads the document that summarizes the life of Joseph Ratzinger, including the eight years as reigning Pope and the ten as Pope Emeritus.
It also highlights that he was a «theologian of recognized authority» who has left «a rich patrimony of studies and research on the fundamental truths of the faith». At the end, it includes the phrase written in Latin ‘Semper in Christo vivas, Pater Sancte’ with the date of his birth and death.
The ‘rogito’, as this scroll is known, has been placed next to the coins and medals minted during his pontificate. There are 7 gold ones according to the number of years, 10 silver ones according to the number of months and 9 bronze ones. During the funeral mass of St. John Paul II in 2005 – which lasted three hours – this document was read aloud. In addition, the pallium, the woolen ribbon with crosses that is placed on the shoulders and symbolizes the power of government in a given jurisdiction, has also been placed inside the coffin, next to his body and without dressing him, as it is done with the bishops emeritus.
Benedict XVI received the pallium three times, in 1977 as Archbishop of Munich and Freising, in 2002 as Dean of the College of Cardinals and in 2005 as Pope, and it has been placed next to the body. Benedict XVI will not be buried with the fisherman’s ring he wore during the pontificate, as it was destroyed in 2013, when he announced his resignation.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)