Former Pope Benedict XVI

He led the Catholic Church for fewer than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.

BBC reports Benedict spent his final years at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within the walls of the Vatican where he died on Saturday.

His successor Pope Francis will lead the funeral on 5 January.

The Vatican said the body of the Pope Emeritus will be placed in St Peter's Basilica from 2 January for "the greeting of the faithful".

In a letter released by the Vatican, the former pontiff asked forgiveness for any "grievous fault" but denied personal wrongdoing.

A German report into the Catholic Church alleged that he failed to act over four child sex abuse cases.

Then known as Josef Ratzinger, he was archbishop of Munich from 1977 to 1982.

The report by a German law firm alleges that abuse continued under his tenure, and that the priests accused of carrying out the abuse remained active in church roles.