Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who was the first pontiff to resign in 600 years, has become increasingly frail in recent years as he dedicated his post-papacy life to prayer and meditation.
‘s health has worsened over the past hours due to advanced age and doctors are constantly monitoring his condition, the Vatican said Wednesday, as Pope Francis appealed to the faithful to pray for his “very ill” predecessor “until the end.”
“The situation at the moment remains under control, constantly monitored by doctors,” the statement said. Benedict, who was the first pontiff to resign in 600 years, has become increasingly frail in recent years as he dedicatedWhen Benedict turned 95 in April, his longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, said the retired pontiff was in good spirits, adding that “naturally he is physically relatively weak and fragile, but rather lucid.”
In his first years of retirement, Benedict attended a couple of cardinal-elevating ceremonies in St. Peter’s Basilica. But in recent years, he wasn’t strong enough to attend the long service. Given his own health history, including a knee ligament problem that has forced him to use a wheelchair or a cane, Francis has said that retirement isIn an interview earlier this month with Spanish newspaper ABC, Francis revealed that shortly after fellow cardinals elected him to succeed Benedict in the papacy, he wrote a resignation letter to have on hand in case medical problems impeded him from carrying out his duties.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI ‘worsening’Benedict was the first pontiff to resign in 600 years.
Read more »
Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI 'worsening'Pope Francis on Wednesday said his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, is “very sick,' and he asked the faithful to pray for the retired pontiff so God will comfort him “to the very end.”
Read more »
Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI ‘worsening’Doctors are constantly monitoring the 95-year-old’s condition, according to the Vatican.
Read more »
Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI 'worsening'The health of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has worsened due to his age, and doctors are constantly monitoring the 95-year-old's condition, the Vatican said Wednesday.
Read more »
Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI 'worsening'The health of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has worsened due to his age, and doctors are constantly monitoring the 95-year-old's condition, the Vatican said Wednesday.
Read more »
Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI 'worsening'The Vatican says the health of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has undergone a “worsening in the last hours” due to his age and that doctors are constantly monitoring the 95-year-old’s condition. kprc2 click2houston popebenedict
Read more »