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Farewell ceremony to start for late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI in Vatican

It will last three days

VATICAN, January 2. /TASS/. The farewell ceremony will start on Monday in Vatican for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who died at the age of 96.

The coffin with the body of the former pontiff will be exhibited in St. Peter's Basilica for farewell from 09:00 am (11:00 am Moscow time).

The funeral service will last for three days and then Benedict XVI will be buried in the Vatican Grottoes beneath St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican said earlier.

The German cardinal and the prominent theologian, Josef Ratzinger ascended the papal throne in 2005 after the death of his predecessor John Paul II under the name of Benedict XVI.

In 2013, he became the first pontiff in 600 years to abdicate the papacy. Benedict, who at that time was 85 years old, explained his decision by the lack of strength to manage the Roman Catholic Church.

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