About 200,000 people paid their respects to Benedict XVI, the pope emeritus, during the three days his body was lying in state in St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican officials said.
He will be buried today, after a funeral liturgy that will largely resemble that for a sitting pope, with some changes to the prayers.
Benedict leaves behind a complex legacy. A report last year commissioned by the Catholic Church in Munich accused him of mishandling cases of 3exual abuse by priests. Benedict apologized for any “grievous faults” but denied any wrongdoing.
To supporters, he is the leader who first met with victims and forced the church to finally face its demons, change its laws and get rid of hundreds of abusive priests. But to critics, he protected the institution over the victims in its flock, failed to hold even a single bishop accountable for shielding abusers and did not back up his words with action.
Some of those claiming abuse have filed a civil suit, against not just a priest accused of molesting several boys but also the Archdiocese of Munich and Benedict. Before his death, the pope emeritus had hired a large international law firm and had said he planned to defend himself in a trial set to start this year.
