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Francis has confirmed the Catholic Church's opposition to LGBT
marriages, but has repeatedly said same-sex couples have a right
to be protected by civil union laws.
A greater openness towards the LGBT community has been one of
the hallmarks of his 11-year papacy, but the more conservative
Benedict was not known as sympathetic to the cause.
Nevertheless, Francis said Benedict stood up for him before an
unnamed group of cardinals who had gone to him to complain about
the pope's "heresies" on civil partnerships.
"They showed up at his home to practically put me on trial and
they accused me in front of him of backing same-sex marriage,"
Francis said.
Benedict XVI listened, "helped them distinguish things" and told
them that what Francis had said was "no heresy", the pope said.
Francis made the revelation in the Spanish-language book "Pope
Francis. The Successor: My memories of Benedict XVI", based on
interviews with journalist Javier Martinez-Brocal.
Already in February 2023, the pope had said that Benedict once
dismissed a complaint about what Francis said on civil unions,
but offered fewer details.
SAME-SEX BLESSINGS
In December, Francis allowed priests to bless same-sex couples,
sparking conservative outrage, insisting this did not amount to
a formal approval for non-heterosexual relationships.
There is no suggestion that Francis discussed that move with
Benedict, who continued living in the Vatican after his shock
decision to retire in 2013, until his death in late 2022.
In the book, Francis denied there were ever any personal
frictions with his predecessor during the unprecedented
so-called "two popes" period.
He confirmed he had a difficult relationship with Benedict's
secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, who released a critical
book on Francis just hours after Benedict's burial.
"To publish a book that lays into me on the day of the funeral,
telling things that are not true, is very sad," Francis said.
Francis, who is 87 and in increasingly frail health, also talked
about his funeral plans, confirming plans to simplify burial
rites for him and his successors.
The bodies of dead popes will no longer be exposed, lying in
state, before being placed in a coffin, as has been done for
Benedict and previous pontiffs, he said.
(Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Sharon Singleton)
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