A first in history. From the day of his election, Pope Francis has never missed an opportunity to remember his "venerable predecessor." Profound harmony between the two. But the media likes to put them in opposition to each other.

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Later this morning, Francis Pope will meet and have lunch with Benedict XVI, Pope emeritus. For the first time in the history of the Church, a Pope will meet his predecessor. Francis will arrive at Castel Gandolfo by helicopter, where Benedict XVI has withdrawn since the day of his retirement, February 28 last.

There have been times in the past when there were more than one pope in the Church following contested elections. The most recent in history was the renunciation of Celestine V, who succeeded Boniface VIII at the end of the thirteenth century. But the relationship between the two was not idyllic: Pope Celestine V ended his life interred for several months in a fortress, until his death.

Despite the fact that most media seem to enjoy placing the current pope and his predecessor in stark opposition to each other, the reality is that the two share a deeply fraternal relationship. Since the night of his election, on March 13 last year, Francis has always spoken with kindness and cited his "venerable predecessor." His very first gesture, looking out from St Peter's central loggia was to ask everyone to pray for Pope Benedict XVI. The next day he celebrated Mass with cardinals carrying the German pope's processional cross in his hands, in his encounter with the College of Cardinals he quoted him directly with words of sincere praise for his pontificate with which "he enriched and strengthened the Church with his teaching, his kindness, his guidance, his faith, his humility and gentleness that will remain a spiritual heritage for everyone. "

He mentioned  him again with great friendliness and devotion during his meeting with the media, at the Mass in the parish of St. Anne, at the first Mass of his pontificate, meeting with Christian and religious leaders and in his meeting with the diplomatic corps.

By his own will, Benedict XVI will stay at Castel Gandolfo until the complete restoration of the cloistered monastery in the Vatican gardens. According to rumors, the pope emeritus prayed for the new pontiff, closely following the first steps of his pontificate on television. The two are also said to have spoken over the phone.

 

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