The Vatican announced the death of the  Pope Emeritus yesterday.

Announcing his demise, the Director of the Press Office of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni, said:  “With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.

“The funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI will be held on Thursday in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican City at 9:30 a.m. local time. The funeral will be led by Pope Francis.”

Bruni said the Pope Emeritus funeral will be “simple,” in line with his wish.

Vatican News reported yesterday that:  “The former pope’s body will lie in state in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican from Monday for the faithful to bid farewell,

Pope Francis in his first public comments after the death of former Pope Benedict XVI called him a “noble person” and hailed his predecessor’s “sacrifices for the good of the church.”

“We are moved as we recall him as such a noble person, so kind and we feel such gratitude in our hearts, gratitude to god for giving him to the church, and to the world,” he said on Saturday.

[data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22580%22%20height%3D%22326.25%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20width%3D%22580%22%20height%3D%22326.25%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)

[data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20src%3D%22data%3Aimage%2Fsvg%2Bxml%2C%253Csvg%2520xmlns%253D%2522http%253A%252F%252Fwww.w3.org%252F2000%252Fsvg%2522%2520width%253D%2522640%2522%2520height%253D%2522360%2522%253E%253C%252Fsvg%253E%22%20width%3D%22580%22%20height%3D%22326.25%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E](data:image/svg+xml,%3Csvg%20xmlns%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2F2000%2Fsvg%22%20src%3D%22data%3Aimage%2Fsvg%2Bxml%2C%253Csvg%2520xmlns%253D%2522http%253A%252F%252Fwww.w3.org%252F2000%252Fsvg%2522%2520width%253D%2522640%2522%2520height%253D%2522360%2522%253E%253C%252Fsvg%253E%22%20width%3D%22580%22%20height%3D%22326.25%22%3E%3C%2Fsvg%3E)

Francis paid his homage to Benedict in Saint Peter’s Basilica while leading traditional vespers ceremony ahead of New Year’s Day.

“Gratitude to him for all the good he accomplished and above all for his witness of faith and prayer, especially in these last years of his life. Only God knows the value of his sacrifices for the good of the church,” Francis said.

President Muhammadu Buhari, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, described the late Pope Emeritus as a true servant of God, who used God’s gift in his life to serve the Church and humanity.

President Buhari, however, commiserated with Pope Francis, the Catholic Church and Christians across the world over the passage of the late religious leader.

“On behalf of government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari commiserates with Pope Francis, the Catholic Church in Nigeria and around the world, as well as all Christian faithful who mourn the passing of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.

“The President pays tribute to Benedict XVI who was greatly admired globally for his selfless leadership, renowned learning as a theologian, and dedication to advance inter-faith dialogue and peace.

“President Buhari believes that the late Pontiff will be remembered as a true servant of God who used the benevolent gifts of the Almighty upon his life to serve the Church and humanity in humility, reverence and piety, living in word and deed the virtues of a true Christian disciple.

“The President prays that the Pope Emeritus receives eternal embrace in the loving arms of the Lord, whom he served faithfully throughout his vocation”, the statement said.

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, expressed regrets over the demise of  the former Pope.

The CBCN President, Archbishop Lucius Ugorji, in a terse statement by the National Directorate (Social Communications), Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, on Saturday night, described the late former Pontiff as “a gracious, gentle, deferential, humble and approachable Church leader.”

The statement read in part, “Benedict XVI was a Pope-Theologian who was deeply spiritual and highly cerebral; thus his main subject was consistently on the Son of God.

“With these combined strengths, Pope Benedict was able to bring a balance between faith and reason and battle the post-modern hydra-headed disease of materialism, secularism and ethical relativism eating up the very soul of the Church and society like a moral cancer.”

Extolling the virtues of the late Pope, His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Archbishop Emeritus, Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja, described his death as a gain to heaven.

Onaiyekan spoke in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital in an interview with newsmen.

Onaiyekan said that Pope Benedict spent his 95 years on earth in serving God and His Church.

“We thank God for his life; I know him personally, he was very kind to me, always fond of me, he made me and made me a cardinal.

“We don’t feel pity over his demise because he lived for God and his Church; so, I’m completely optimistic that he has just moved gently, gently into paradise.

“I know I have another saint now in heaven and I hope to join them whenever God calls me sooner or later; may his soul rest in perfect peace,” Onaiyekan said.

Also speaking, the Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, said that the late Pope had gratefully returned to God.

Badejo said he was a Pope that respected the reality of history and engaged fruitfully with the Church, especially the West to emphasise on the liaison between faith and reason.

“He was not shy to respect the reality of history when he courageously retired a few years ago, because as he said, his energy and mind could no longer carry that responsibility.

“He, however, remained at the device of his beloved Church till the end as he said, by his prayers and presence,” Badejo said.

King Charles yesterday led Britain’s tributes to the former pope.

In a message to Pope Francis following the death of his predecessor, the King said he received the news “with deep sadness”.

He praised the late pontiff’s  efforts to “promote peace” between Catholic and Protestant communities.

The king acknowledged the former pontiff’s “constant efforts to promote peace” and to “strengthen the relationship between the global Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.

“I remember with fondness my meeting with His Holiness during my visit to the Vatican in 2009.

“His visit to the United Kingdom in 2010 was important in strengthening the relations between the Holy See and the United Kingdom, Charles said in a statement.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, the world’s senior Anglican cleric, both paid tribute to Benedict’s work as pope.

“I am saddened to learn of the death of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI,” Sunak tweeted.

“He was a great theologian whose UK visit in 2010 was an historic moment for both Catholics and non-Catholics throughout our country.”

Welby called him “one of the greatest theologians of his age — committed to the faith of the Church and stalwart in its defence.”

Ireland President Michael D Higgins also highlighted Benedict’s efforts at soothing tensions in Ireland, which suffered decades of fighting between the Catholic and Protestant communities.

“At this time of the return of war on our continent and in so many areas of the world, he will be remembered for his untiring efforts to find a common path in promoting peace and goodwill throughout the world, including a steadfast interest in peace in Northern Ireland,” he said.