Pope Francis praises predecessor Benedict on 70th anniversary of ordination

Pope Francis and emeritus Pope Benedict (Joe Giddens/Leon Neal/PA)

Pope Francis offered an affectionate, public thank you to Benedict XVI, whose retirement from the papacy in 2103 shocked the Roman Catholic Church and the world.

Addressing tourists and Romans in St Peter’s Square, Francis triggered applause when he recalled that it was the 70th anniversary of Benedict’s ordination to the priesthood in his native Germany.