The Archbishop of Canterbury and head of the Anglican Church, Justin Welby, has mourned the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Saturday, December 31, and recalled that he was «one of the greatest theologians of his time committed to the faith of the Church and steadfast in its defense.»
«Today I join the Church throughout the world, and especially the Holy Father, Pope Francis, and the entire Catholic Church, in mourning the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI,» he said in a statement.
He has also stressed that in all things, especially in his writings and his preaching, he looked to Jesus Christ, the image of the invisible God. «It was very clear that Christ was the root of his thought and the basis of his prayer,» he added.
He has also stressed that in 2013, Pope Benedict took the «courageous and humble step of resigning the papacy, the first pope to do so since the 15th century.» «In making this choice freely he recognized the human frailty that affects us all,» he added.
Finally, he has assured that in his life and ministry, Pope Benedict strove to lead people to Christ.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
