Pope Francis thanked his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, who passed away at the age of 95, for his goodness and faith in prayer. This was reported by TASS.

The pontiff warmly remembered the former head of the Catholic Church during a celebratory service at St. Peter's Cathedral in the Vatican, calling him a noble and glorious man.

"And we feel such gratitude in our hearts: gratitude to God for having given him to the Church and to the world; gratitude to him for all the good he accomplished, and above all, for his witness of faith and prayer," Francis said.

The Pope added that only God knows the power of intercession and the sacrifices made by Benedict XVI for the good of the Church.