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Pope Benedict XVI dies - 11th January 2023
There was an important funeral at the Vatican in Rome. Pope Benedict XVI died on 31 December 2022. He was head of the Catholic church from 2005 to 2013.
Usually, the pope is a lifetime job. But Pope Benedict XVI retired from the job. He felt too old. This was a surprise. The Catholic church chose Pope Francis as the next pope.
Benedict XVI was born in 1927. His original name was Joseph Ratzinger. Benedict came from Germany. He was the first German pope in 1,000 years. He was pope for only 8 years.
Many world leaders went to Pope Benedict’s funeral. 50,000 people went to St Peter's Square for the funeral. Millions of Catholics around the world watched on television or online.
The funeral was in front of St Peter's Basilica. This is the main church in the Vatican. Pope Francis gave the funeral service. Pope Benedict XVI’s body now lies in the crypt under the church.
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