Pope Benedict XVI Buried Today, Italian and German Presidents Confirm Attendance

Italian President Sergio Mattarella paid his last respects to the body of Pope Benedict XVI. (Wikimedia Commons/Presidentza della Repubblica)

JAKARTA - The funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will take place on Thursday, after hundreds of thousands of people lined up to pay their last respects and pray at the Vatican.

Vatican officials last night made preparations to place Pope Benedict XVI in a wooden coffin, before the funeral procession began in St. Peter's Square.

Pope Benedict XVI (95), died December 31 at his Vatican residence, where he had spent his retirement, devoted to prayer and reflection. He is the church's 265th pope.

The faithful in St. Peter's Square are estimated to number at least 60,000 and have been invited to pray the rosary.

By the time the doors of St. Peter's Basilica closed to the public on Wednesday night, some 200.000 people had already paid their respects during three days of viewing.

Among the latter is a couple from Calabria. Gaspare Guadagnuolo (73) and Lina Proto (62), said they remembered Pope Benedict XVI's visit to their home region.

"I was impressed by people's participation. There were a lot of strong emotions," said Proto, citing The National News January 5.

Pope Francis will officiate at Pope Benedict XVI's funeral, an event involving heads of state and royalty, despite the late Pope Benedict XVI's request for simplicity, as well as the Vatican's efforts to keep the first funeral of a pope emeritus in modern times simple.

Only Italy and Germany were invited to send official delegations, with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Italian President Sergio Mattarella confirming their attendance.

Other heads of state and government attend in a "personal capacity", including at least four prime ministers and two delegates of royal representatives.

Earlier, in his weekly address, Pope Francis received applause when he mentioned people who were there paying homage to Pope Benedict XVI, whom he called "a great master of catechesis".

"His sharp and gentle thoughts were not self-referential, but ecclesiastical, because he always wanted to accompany us in our encounter with Jesus," said Pope Francis.

After the funeral service in the piazza, where Pope Benedict XVI will lie in his coffin, he will be taken to St. Peter's Basilica.

In accordance with the wishes of the late Pope Benedict XVI, his remains will be placed in a crypt in the cave beneath St. Peter's Basilica.

Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected pope in 2005, became the first pope in six centuries to resign, announcing in 2013 that he would no longer lead the Catholic Church.