Pope Benedict XVI’s personal secretary, who served him in multiple capacities for almost two decades, will soon publish a book on his experiences with the late pontiff.
Archbishop Georg Gänswein serves as the prefect of the papal household and was a constant companion of Pope Benedict before his death.
The archbishop is now publishing his insider book on the late pope, titled, “Nothing but the Truth: My Life Beside Pope Benedict XVI.”
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The Vatican announced Benedict passed away Saturday at 9:34 a.m. He was 95 years old.
The late pontiff’s body is being held in Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Vatican City, where he spent the majority of his life post-papacy.
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Gänswein’s memoirs are set for publication later this month. His writings reportedly document Pope Benedict’s perspective on major Catholic issues, including the pedophilia scandal, the Vatileaks documents, and his own unexpected retirement.
“These pages contain a personal testimony of the greatness of a meek man, a fine scholar, a cardinal, and a pope who made the history of our time,” Gänswein told the Italian press of the book. “But they are also a firsthand account that seeks to shed light on some misunderstood aspects of his pontificate and to describe the real ‘Vatican world’ from within.”
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On the eve of the first day of Pope Emeritus Benedict’s body being available for viewing, Italian police predicted 30,000 visitors. By the end of the evening, 65,000 people passed through St. Peter’s Basilica.
On Monday, the Vatican confirmed widely reported burial plans. In keeping with his wishes, Benedict’s tomb will be in the crypt of the grotto under the basilica that was last used by St. John Paul II, before the saint’s body was moved upstairs into the main basilica ahead of his 2011 beatification, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.
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On Jan. 5, Pope Francis will preside over the late pontiff’s funeral Mass in St. Peter’s Square, the Vatican stated.