Connect with us

News

Former Pope Benedict XVI’ s Body Lay In State In St. Peter’s Basilica

Former Pope Benedict XVI’s Body Lay In State In St. Peter’s Basilica

(CTN NEWS) – VATICAN CITY – In St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s body lay in state with his head resting on two red pillows as throngs of mourners paid their respects to the pontiff who surprised the world by resigning ten years ago.

After being brought to the basilica, the body was carried by ten white-gloved Papal Gentlemen — lay helpers to the pontiffs and papal households — to its final resting place in front of the main altar beneath Bernini’s enormous bronze canopy.

The 95-year-old former pontiff passed away on Saturday morning, and his body was taken from the chapel on the monastery grounds and deposited in a van.

A Swiss Guard saluted as the body was brought in through a side entrance.

In this image released on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, by the Vatican Media news service, the body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is carried from the chapel of the monastery ‘Mater Ecclesiae’ at The Vatican where he mostly lived after retiring on Feb. 28, 2013, (Vatican Media via AP)

A few consecrated laywomen who worked in Benedict’s household and his longstanding secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, followed the van on foot for a few hundred meters in a quiet procession to the basilica. Some of the women reached out to respectfully touch the body.

Prayers were said, the basilica’s archpriest, Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, sprinkled holy water over the body, and a little cloud of incense was released close to the bier before the rank-and-file faithful were permitted inside the basilica.

Benedict had his hands together and a rosary wrapped around his fingers.

The body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laids out in state as father Georg Gaenswein stands on the right inside St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

To allow the public to pay their respects to the late pontiff, who retired from the papacy in 2013 to become the first pope to do so in 600 years, the basilica doors were swung open just after 9 a.m. (0800 GMT).

Some people had waited for hours in the gloom before dawn.

After waiting in a line wrapped around St. Peter’s Square by mid-morning, the faithful and curious walked swiftly up the middle aisle to pass past the bier with its fabric hanging.

Benedict’s torso was covered in a red cloak, a miter, and a bishop’s peaked hat.

The 35-year-old Filippo Tuccio claimed to have taken an overnight train from Venice to see Benedict’s body.

“Because he was crucial to my life and education, I decided to honor Him. After leaving Venice yesterday night, I arrived at 7:30,” Tuccio said.

Nuns wait in a line to enter Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican where late Pope Benedict 16 is being laid in state at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)

The pilgrim mentioned the periodic gatherings of young believers that pontiffs attended by saying, “When I was young, I participated in World Youth Days.”

Tuccio said, “His papacy followed me during my academic years.” He had studied theology.

He played a significant role in shaping who I am, how I think, and what I value. I wanted to say farewell today for this reason.

Cardinal Walter Kasper, another German theologian like Benedict attended the basilica viewing. During Benedict’s pontificate, Kasper was the director of the Vatican’s ministry for Christian unity.

Benedict’s heroism in resigning left an “important impact” on theology and spirituality as well as the pope’s history, according to Kasper, who spoke to The Associated Press.

Because the pope recognized that he was no longer capable of handling the demands of the office, Kasper claimed that his resignation was not a show of weakness but rather of power and magnificence.

People look at the body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

The choice to retire provided “a more human perspective of the papacy: that the pope is a man and is dependent on his physical and mental strengths,” continued Kasper, one of the cardinals who helped elect Benedict to the office of pope in 2005.

On Monday, there will be a 10-hour public viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica. Before the funeral on Thursday morning, which Pope Francis will officiate, there will be a 12-hour visitation on Tuesday and Wednesday.

In keeping with Benedict’s wishes, the funeral would be understated, and the Vatican stated while announcing his passing on Saturday.

The Vatican confirmed the burial arrangements on Monday.

According to the pope’s intentions, Benedict will be buried in the crypt of the grotto beneath the basilica, which St. John Paul II last occupied before the latter’s body was taken there for his 2011 beatification.

The body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

On the first day of viewing, security officials predicted that at least 25,000 individuals would pass by the body. After roughly four hours, 10,000 people had reportedly seen Benedict’s body, according to Italian state television.

Viewers walked through the standard security procedures required of visitors entering the basilica at two sides of the plaza, including going through metal detectors and having their luggage scanned by an X-ray machine.

62-year-old Marina Ferrante was one of them. The Roman arrived an hour before the doors were opened, and she became tearful when she spoke of her motivation for coming.

Postcards of Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II are sold at a kiosk while the body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI laid out in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

She stated, “I think his greatest legacy was showing us how to be free. For other believers, “he had a distinct intelligence in saying what was fundamental in his faith and that was contagious.” “When he passed away, I felt that I wished I could be as liberated as he was.”

“I believe there’s a continuity between him and Pope Francis, and anyone who understands the actual relationship between them and Christ can see that,”

Ferrante added, speculating that the current Argentine-born pontiff and the retiring, bookish German churchman and theologian had distinct temperaments.

An American living in Rome said seeing the body was “a fantastic experience.” Mountain Butorac, 47, an Atlanta native, claimed to have arrived 90 minutes before the morning opening and left the basilica 30 minutes later.

People line up to enter Saint Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican where late Pope Benedict 16 is being laid in state at The Vatican, Monday, Jan. 2, 2023. Benedict XVI, the German theologian who will be remembered as the first pope in 600 years to resign, has died, the Vatican announced Saturday. He was 95.(AP Photo/Ben Curtis)

When Joseph Ratzinger was a cardinal, elected pope, and even after he retired, Butorac declared, “I liked Benedict. I believe he served as a sort of human grandfather while residing at the Vatican.

When Benedict was ill, he traveled to the Vatican to pray for him, saying, “I wanted to be here today to say farewell. I believe that he and Francis had a strong bond and showed concern for one another.

Ushers moved well-wishers along at a steady pace down the basilica’s center aisle while an organ and choir softly played “Kyrie Eleison,” which is translated as “Lord, have mercy” in ancient Greek.

They then gently nudged them, saying “avanti” (keep going) in Italian to maintain the pace. A crimson rose was left behind.

In this image released on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, by the Vatican Media news service, Bishop George Gaenswein, center, and close entourage pray in front of the body of late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI lying out in state in the chapel of the monastery ‘Mater Ecclesiae’ where he mostly lived after retiring on Feb. 28, 2013.(Vatican Media via AP)

A few dignitaries were given a chance to express their condolences before the general audience arrived, including Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, a far-right member who has previously expressed appreciation for Benedict’s conservatism.

Sergio Mattarella, the president of Italy, also visited the body. Since the pope emeritus was no longer the head of state, the Vatican has stated that only two official delegations from countries — Italy and Benedict’s native Germany — were formally invited to the funeral.

One of the mourners who arrived in the square before the morning was Sister Regina Brand.

She explained, “I’m from Germany, and he’s the pope. And I’m here to thank him, to show my love for him, to pray for him, and to see him.”

RELATED CTN NEWS:

Former Pope Benedict XVI Dies at Age 95

2 Palestinians Killed In West Bank Conflict

News

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding, But Still Accounting 48% Search Revenue

Google

Google is so closely associated with its key product that its name is a verb that signifies “search.” However, Google’s dominance in that sector is dwindling.

According to eMarketer, Google will lose control of the US search industry for the first time in decades next year.

Google will remain the dominant search player, accounting for 48% of American search advertising revenue. And, remarkably, Google is still increasing its sales in the field, despite being the dominating player in search since the early days of the George W. Bush administration. However, Amazon is growing at a quicker rate.

google

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

Amazon will hold over a quarter of US search ad dollars next year, rising to 27% by 2026, while Google will fall even more, according to eMarketer.

The Wall Street Journal was first to report on the forecast.

Lest you think you’ll have to switch to Bing or Yahoo, this isn’t the end of Google or anything really near.

Google is the fourth-most valued public firm in the world. Its market worth is $2.1 trillion, trailing just Apple, Microsoft, and the AI chip darling Nvidia. It also maintains its dominance in other industries, such as display advertisements, where it dominates alongside Facebook’s parent firm Meta, and video ads on YouTube.

To put those “other” firms in context, each is worth more than Delta Air Lines’ total market value. So, yeah, Google is not going anywhere.

Nonetheless, Google faces numerous dangers to its operations, particularly from antitrust regulators.

On Monday, a federal judge in San Francisco ruled that Google must open up its Google Play Store to competitors, dealing a significant blow to the firm in its long-running battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games. Google announced that it would appeal the verdict.

In August, a federal judge ruled that Google has an illegal monopoly on search. That verdict could lead to the dissolution of the company’s search operation. Another antitrust lawsuit filed last month accuses Google of abusing its dominance in the online advertising business.

Meanwhile, European regulators have compelled Google to follow tough new standards, which have resulted in multiple $1 billion-plus fines.

google

Pixa Bay

Google’s Search Dominance Is Unwinding

On top of that, the marketplace is becoming more difficult on its own.

TikTok, the fastest-growing social network, is expanding into the search market. And Amazon has accomplished something few other digital titans have done to date: it has established a habit.

When you want to buy anything, you usually go to Amazon, not Google. Amazon then buys adverts to push companies’ products to the top of your search results, increasing sales and earning Amazon a greater portion of the revenue. According to eMarketer, it is expected to generate $27.8 billion in search revenue in the United States next year, trailing only Google’s $62.9 billion total.

And then there’s AI, the technology that (supposedly) will change everything.

Why search in stilted language for “kendall jenner why bad bunny breakup” or “police moving violation driver rights no stop sign” when you can just ask OpenAI’s ChatGPT, “What’s going on with Kendall Jenner and Bad Bunny?” in “I need help fighting a moving violation involving a stop sign that wasn’t visible.” Google is working on exactly this technology with its Gemini product, but its success is far from guaranteed, especially with Apple collaborating with OpenAI and other businesses rapidly joining the market.

A Google spokeswoman referred to a blog post from last week in which the company unveiled ads in its AI overviews (the AI-generated text that appears at the top of search results). It’s Google’s way of expressing its ability to profit on a changing marketplace while retaining its business, even as its consumers steadily transition to ask-and-answer AI and away from search.

google

Google has long used a single catchphrase to defend itself against opponents who claim it is a monopoly abusing its power: competition is only a click away. Until recently, that seemed comically obtuse. Really? We are going to switch to Bing? Or Duck Duck Go? Give me a break.

But today, it feels more like reality.

Google is in no danger of disappearing. However, every highly dominating company faces some type of reckoning over time. GE, a Dow mainstay for more than a century, was broken up last year and is now a shell of its previous dominance. Sears declared bankruptcy in 2022 and is virtually out of business. US Steel, long the foundation of American manufacturing, is attempting to sell itself to a Japanese corporation.

Could we remember Google in the same way that we remember Yahoo or Ask Jeeves in decades? These next few years could be significant.

SOURCE | CNN

Continue Reading

News

2024 | Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

trump

Washington — Trump Media,  The Supreme Court announced Monday that it will not hear an appeal from social media platform X about a search warrant acquired by prosecutors in the election meddling case against former President Donald Trump.

The justices did not explain their rationale, and there were no recorded dissents.

The firm, which was known as Twitter before being purchased by billionaire Elon Musk, claims a nondisclosure order that prevented it from informing Trump about the warrant obtained by special counsel Jack Smith’s team violated its First Amendment rights.

The business also claims Trump should have had an opportunity to exercise executive privilege. If not reined in, the government may employ similar tactics to intercept additional privileged communications, their lawyers contended.

trump

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

Two neutral electronic privacy groups also joined in, urging the high court to hear the case on First Amendment grounds.

Prosecutors, however, claim that the corporation never shown that Trump utilized the account for official purposes, therefore executive privilege is not a problem. A lower court also determined that informing Trump could have compromised the current probe.

trump

Trump utilized his Twitter account in the weeks preceding up to his supporters’ attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, to spread false assertions about the election, which prosecutors claim were intended to create doubt in the democratic process.

The indictment describes how Trump used his Twitter account to encourage his followers to travel to Washington on Jan. 6, pressuring Vice President Mike Pence to reject the certification, and falsely claiming that the Capitol crowd, which battered police officers and destroyed glass, was peaceful.

musk trump

Supreme Court Won’t Hear Appeal From Elon Musk’s X Platform Over Warrant In Trump Case

That case is now moving forward following the Supreme Court’s verdict in July, which granted Trump full immunity from criminal prosecution as a former president.

The warrant arrived at Twitter amid quick changes implemented by Musk, who bought the company in 2022 and has since cut off most of its workforce, including those dedicated to combating disinformation and hate speech.

He also welcomed back a vast list of previously banned users, including Trump, and endorsed him for the 2024 presidential election.

SOURCE | AP

Continue Reading

News

The Supreme Court Turns Down Biden’s Government Appeal in a Texas Emergency Abortion Matter.

Supreme Court

(VOR News) – A ruling that prohibits emergency abortions that contravene the Supreme Court law in the state of Texas, which has one of the most stringent abortion restrictions in the country, has been upheld by the Supreme Court of the United States. The United States Supreme Court upheld this decision.

The justices did not provide any specifics regarding the underlying reasons for their decision to uphold an order from a lower court that declared hospitals cannot be legally obligated to administer abortions if doing so would violate the law in the state of Texas.

Institutions are not required to perform abortions, as stipulated in the decree. The common populace did not investigate any opposing viewpoints. The decision was made just weeks before a presidential election that brought abortion to the forefront of the political agenda.

This decision follows the 2022 Supreme Court ruling that ended abortion nationwide.

In response to a request from the administration of Vice President Joe Biden to overturn the lower court’s decision, the justices expressed their disapproval.

The government contends that hospitals are obligated to perform abortions in compliance with federal legislation when the health or life of an expectant patient is in an exceedingly precarious condition.

This is the case in regions where the procedure is prohibited. The difficulty hospitals in Texas and other states are experiencing in determining whether or not routine care could be in violation of stringent state laws that prohibit abortion has resulted in an increase in the number of complaints concerning pregnant women who are experiencing medical distress being turned away from emergency rooms.

The administration cited the Supreme Court’s ruling in a case that bore a striking resemblance to the one that was presented to it in Idaho at the beginning of the year. The justices took a limited decision in that case to allow the continuation of emergency abortions without interruption while a lawsuit was still being heard.

In contrast, Texas has been a vocal proponent of the injunction’s continued enforcement. Texas has argued that its circumstances are distinct from those of Idaho, as the state does have an exemption for situations that pose a significant hazard to the health of an expectant patient.

According to the state, the discrepancy is the result of this exemption. The state of Idaho had a provision that safeguarded a woman’s life when the issue was first broached; however, it did not include protection for her health.

Certified medical practitioners are not obligated to wait until a woman’s life is in imminent peril before they are legally permitted to perform an abortion, as determined by the state supreme court.

The state of Texas highlighted this to the Supreme Court.

Nevertheless, medical professionals have criticized the Texas statute as being perilously ambiguous, and a medical board has declined to provide a list of all the disorders that are eligible for an exception. Furthermore, the statute has been criticized for its hazardous ambiguity.

For an extended period, termination of pregnancies has been a standard procedure in medical treatment for individuals who have been experiencing significant issues. It is implemented in this manner to prevent catastrophic outcomes, such as sepsis, organ failure, and other severe scenarios.

Nevertheless, medical professionals and hospitals in Texas and other states with strict abortion laws have noted that it is uncertain whether or not these terminations could be in violation of abortion prohibitions that include the possibility of a prison sentence. This is the case in regions where abortion prohibitions are exceedingly restrictive.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which resulted in restrictions on the rights of women to have abortions in several Republican-ruled states, the Texas case was revisited in 2022.

As per the orders that were disclosed by the administration of Vice President Joe Biden, hospitals are still required to provide abortions in cases that are classified as dire emergency.

As stipulated in a piece of health care legislation, the majority of hospitals are obligated to provide medical assistance to patients who are experiencing medical distress. This is in accordance with the law.

The state of Texas maintained that hospitals should not be obligated to provide abortions throughout the litigation, as doing so would violate the state’s constitutional prohibition on abortions. In its January judgment, the 5th United States Circuit Court of Appeals concurred with the state and acknowledged that the administration had exceeded its authority.

SOURCE: AP

SEE ALSO:

Could Last-Minute Surprises Derail Kamala Harris’ Campaign? “Nostradamus” Explains the US Poll.

Scientists Awarded MicroRNA The Nobel Prize in Medicine.

US Inflation will Comfort a Fed Focused on Labor Markets.

Continue Reading

Trending