Felipe VI sends his condolences to Pope Francis after the death of Benedict XVI: “He led the Church with humility”

“It is with regret that I announce that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI He died today at 9:34 a.m., in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery of the Vatican,” said the director of the Vatican press office, Matteo Bruni, this Saturday.

Upon hearing the news, His Majesty the King Philip VI has conveyed its condolences to Pope Francisco: “Holy Father: It is with great sadness that I received the news of the death of His Holiness Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and I wish to send you, on behalf of myself and the government and the Spanish people, the testimony of our deepest condolences” .

“Benedict XVI, who leaves us the fruitful intellectual and spiritual legacy of his teaching, led the Catholic Church with an extraordinary vocation for service, humility, dedication and love. We keep, with deep feeling, the memory of the affection with which he always distinguished Spain on his visits to Valencia, Santiago de Compostela, Barcelona and Madrid”, concludes the message from Letizia’s husband.

Benedict XVI has died in his bedroom in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, located within the walls of the Vatican, where he has resided since he resigned from the pontificate in 2013. The 265th Pope of the Catholic Church? and seventh sovereign of Vatican City, he visited Spain three times. In July 2006 he chaired the V World Meeting of Families, convened by his predecessor John Paul II before his death. The Pontiff landed at the Manises airport where he was received by the Kings, at that moment, Juan Carlos I y doña sofia.

In 2010, Benedict made his second official trip to our country. He visited Santiago de Compostela for the first time on the occasion of the celebration of the Compostela Holy Year. In the city he was received by the princes of Asturias, the current kings of Spain, Felipe VI and Doña Letizia in the cathedral. The last trip of the Pope emeritus to Spain was from August 18 to 21, 2011 to preside over the XXVI World Youth Day in Madrid.