Lafayette residents paid homage to the former leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI on Thursday afternoon by reciting prayers and congregating in his honor.
Attendees gathered at the Cathedral of St. John The Evangelist to celebrate the life and legacy of Pope Benedict, who passed away on Saturday in his Vatican apartment.
The Most Reverend J. Douglas Deshotel, Bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette said he had the pleasure of meeting Pope Benedict.
"He's most memorable to remind us of our Christian vocation that as baptized followers of the Lord Jesus, we're called to listen to Him, who calls himself the way, the truth and the life to ever-lasting life," Deshotel said.
Church bells rang in honor of the late Pope, who many say dedicated his life to Christ and the Catholic church.
"The bells are simply to remind us to think about what we're doing here today," Deshotel said. "Today we had the formal funeral for Pope Benedict and that we spend some time in prayer and offering our prayers up for his soul."
Blue Rolfes is the Communications Director for the Diocese of Lafayette. She described the service as bittersweet.
"It's a chance to say goodbye and to honor a pope that frequently was misunderstood by a lot of people," Rolfes said. "It's our chance to look back on all of his tremendous accomplishments and join people all around the world in wishing him a safe and peaceful rest."
Pope Benedict XVI will be remembered as the first pope in modern history to resign from his position before his passing.
His name—Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI means "retired pope," a legacy that many will carry beyond his transition from Earth.
"He was a very strong Pope," Rolfes said. "Theologically, he was very strong in following church doctrine, and he shepherd the church through kind of a tumultuous time and so, we'll always be grateful to him for that."
