Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Independent TV

Showing now | News

Giorgia Meloni pays tribute to Pope Benedict as thousands queue outside Vatican

01:10

Giorgia Meloni pays respects to Pope Benedict in St Peter’s Basilica

Giorgia Meloni was seen paying her respects to Pope Benedict XVI as the late pontiff was lying in state inside St Peter’s Basilica.

The Italian prime minister was one of thousands who flocked to the Vatican to view the body of the late Pope ahead of his funeral.

Benedict will lie in the famous basilica, open to the public, until his requiem mass on Thursday, 5 December.

Pope Benedict was sovereign of the Vatican City State from 2005 until his resignation on 28 February in 2013.

He died aged 95.

Click here to sign up for our newsletters.

Up next

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in