Tired, moved, but at the same time at peace, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, Private Secretary to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, visited the studios of Vatican Radio one day before the funeral of the man he served for so many years. In this interview, he recounts the last moments of the earthly existence of the man who served the Church as Bishop of Rome from 2005 until 2013, and then made the historic choice to renounce the papacy almost ten years ago.

Question: How did Benedict XVI live these final days? What were his last words?

Ganswein: I did not hear his last words with my own ears, but the night before he died, one of the nurses assisting him overheard them. Around three o’clock, he said: “Lord, I love you.” The nurse told me in the morning when I arrived. These were his last truly understandable words.

Everyone then prayed in silence. At 9:34am, he took his last breath. We then continued our prayers, but for the dead, not the dying. And we concluded by singing Alma Redemptoris Mater (See Below). He died during the Octave of Christmas, his favorite liturgical season, on the feast day of his predecessor Saint Sylvester. I then told everyone: “I will call Pope Francis right away. He should be the first to know.” I called and he said: “I’ll be there immediately!” When the pope arrived, I accompanied him to the bedroom where he died. Pope Francis greeted everyone. I offered him a chair and he sat beside the bed and prayed. He offered a blessing and departed.

Question: What was the strongest message of Benedict XVI’s pontificate?

Ganswein: His strength lies in the motto that he chose as Archbishop of Munich which quoted John’s Third Letter: Collaborators of the Truth (See 3 John 1:8). It means that truth is not something that has been taught; it is a person; it is the Son of God. God became incarnate in Jesus Christ, in Jesus of Nazareth, and this is his message: to follow not a theory of truth, but to fol- low the Lord. “I am the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).” This is his message. It is a message that is not a burden. Rather, it is what helps us to carry the weight of each day, and it gives us joy. There are problems, but faith is stronger. Faith must have the last word.

Question: What was Pope Benedict’s greatest teaching for your life?

Ganswein: The greatest teaching is that written faith, pronounced and proclaimed faith, is not only something that is said and preached, but lived. That is, the example for me is the faith he learned, taught, and proclaimed became a lived faith. For me, even during this moment of grief, it is a great spiritual consolation.

Question: In his spiritual testament, Pope Benedict writes: “If in this late hour of my life, I look back on the decades I have covered, the first thing I see is how many reasons I have to be thankful.” Was he a happy and fulfilled man?

Ganswein: He was a man deeply convinced that in loving the Lord, one is never wrong, even if one makes many human mistakes. This conviction gave him peace. It also gave him humility and clarity. He always said: “Our faith must be a simple faith — not simplistic, but simple. Because of all great theories, all great theologians have their foundation in faith. This is and remains the only nourishment we need for ourselves and for others.”

Watch: Benedict XVI’s Spiritual Testament
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Call to Prayer
Holy Mary, Mother of God

By Pope Benedict XVI