Former Pope Benedict passed away on December 31, 2022 at the age of 95, at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery inside the gardens of the Vatican.
The German theological scholar led the catholic Church for eight years before becoming the first cardinal in six centuries of decline in 2013.
His successor, Cardinal Francis, will preside over the funeral on January 5 at the vast St Peter Square before the former Cardinal Benedict is rested in the tombs below the St Peter Cathedral Imperial Palace.
On January 1, the Vatican published photos of the remains of former popes Benedict wearing the popes' red shirt and wearing a hat with a gold border on his head in the monastery's monastery chaplain.
The Vatican said the funeral for former Cardinal Benedict would be "respectful but simple," and the former would be buried in the papal mausoleum under the St. Peter Cathedral Realm.
The Vatican has not yet released details about the guest list, in addition to revealing that there will be delegations from Italy and Germany, the homeland of former Cardinal Benedict.
The most recent funeral of a cardinal was for John Paul II in 2005, attracting millions of followers and heads of state from all over the world.
