one of the things i thought about, we see these crowds. the crowds have been larger at the vatican for pope benedict than people expected. is that for people underestimating the poll of a pope. and what it means to catholics. whether you are practicing or have fallen away. i remember when pope benedict came to new york in 2008. again at the height of the clergy sex abuse scandal. i want to fifth avenue to cover him thinking that it s going to be me and 20 photographers and nobody else. and people were lined up four and five deep. and i think that is what you are seeing to some degree in the vatican. you are seeing people of faith, you are seeing tourists. but there is a poll. that when you see god s representative on earth and the person passes, you want to be there, you want to acknowledge it. i was there as well. and i think one of the things. i don t think i am exaggerating to say that shocked me. was that i just started going through the crowds and talking to people and asking
hot-button political issues at the center of his papacy, opposing same-sex marriage and women priests. critics accused him of not doing enough in the church s sex abuse scandal. but today those waiting in line remembered him personally. he remains a fundamental person for my life. and it s important for me to be here in rome. it is like when a father dies his sons go to him. reporter: felipo toso took an overnight trip from venice to rome this morning to be one of the first. how was it? amazing. it was not important to see but to be. and to be here. reporter: mark patorek, an american catholic living and work in rome, had the rare chance to visit pope benedict lying in rest at his convent home on sunday. i ve been bringing people to rome for 20 years. he was the highlight of all my time in rome. reporter: history will remember benedict as a traditionalist who bucked centuries of tradition, retiring
church s traditional teachings and grappled with the fallout from the sex abuse scandal. pope francis honoring his predecessor in a prayer service today, hailing him as noble and kind. president biden among the many paying tribute, praising his lifetime of devotion to the church. abc s ines de la cuetara from the vatican. reporter: tonight, catholics around the world mourning benedict xvi, the pope emeritus who passed away this morning at the age of 95. pope francis, at a new year s eve ceremony, praising his predecessor s kindness and thanking him for his testimony of faith and prayer, especially in these final years of his retired life. benedict shocked the church when he announced his retirement in 2013. the first pontiff to step down in nearly 600 years, citing a lack of strength of mind and body due to his age. the pope emeritus keeping a low profile, residing at the vatican, giving up his famous
where he is more happy. go ahead. there are only a handful of people in this world who truly understand what it is like to marry into this family. when you marry into the british royal family, you are essentially a private person but you are kind of public property. and from the moment you walk in, every expression, every time you tuck your hair behind your ear, every time you cross your legs, it is picked apart day in, day out by the papparazzi. that is unsustainable. prince andrew, i m sorry, prince andrew was involved in a sex abuse scandal which by the way he settled. and even he, even he got better treatment than meghan markle. that, i m sorry, i find very strange. i m not sure i agree with you on that. in fact i will take issue on that in terms of the treatment of andrew post the allegations.
but that respect for other people is what really makes a constitution work. and this illustrates that for some that this isn t about building unity in a country it s about destroying and sanitizing party, both sides in this last election throughout the more moderate elements. so it s gonna be a real show could be interesting. rusty bowers, good talking to you. i have a way of respecting the strength of your convictions, i appreciate you spending time with us. thank you. thank you very much, mister cooper, very. much coming up, my 60 minutes report with the new president of the southern baptist convention, the domination attempts to re-grope, recovered from a sex abuse scandal. a current justice department investigation. luxury exemplified. innovation electrified.