Benedict was 'great' pope, says Francis

(ANSA) - Vatican City, October 27 - Pope Francis hailed Benedict XVI as a great of the Church on Monday as he unveiled a bust of his predecessor at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences in the Vatican. "Benedict XVI was a great Pope," the Argentine pontiff said.
    "Great for the power and penetration of his intellect, great for his significant contribution to theology, great for his love for the Church and of human beings, great for his virtue and piety".
    Benedict, who was born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, made modern history when he resigned the papacy in early 2013, setting the stage for the papal enclave that elected Francis in March 2013.
    He currently lives in retirement in a renovated monastery inside the Vatican walls.
    Francis' open, humble, off-the-cuff style is often compared with the more conservative approach of Benedict. http://popefrancisnewsapp.com/