Benedict XVI will be remembered as ‘pope of charity’ — CBCP

Benedict XVI was praised by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Saturday, saying he will be remembered as the "pope of charity."

"If Pope Francis is known as the Pope of Mercy and Joy, Pope Benedict will be remembered as the Pope of Charity. He began his episcopacy with a profoundly theological encyclical entitled Deus Caritas Est (God is Love)," CBCP president Pablo Virgilio David said in a statement.

David also said Benedict XVI was "a great theologian, catechist, and musician."

"He spent the last years of his life as an emeritus pope in solitude and contemplation, supporting the universal Church and Pope Francis spiritually with his prayers. Let us commend him to the Lord and pray for his eternal repose," he said.

The former pope died at the age of 95, the Vatican announced Saturday, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries. 

His body will be displayed in the solemn setting of Saint Peter's Basilica beginning Monday morning, allowing the faithful to pay their respects.

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds since his shock decision to step down in February 2013. 

His health had been declining for a long time, but the Vatican revealed on Wednesday that his situation had worsened, while Francis called for Catholics worldwide to pray for him. —VBL, GMA Integrated News