Pope Benedict XVI provides Christmas Night Mass atSt Peter’s Basilica on December 24, 2009 in Vatican City, Vatican.
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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s health has unexpectedly “worsened” in current hours, the Vatican stated on Wednesday after Pope Francis requested prayers for the previous pontiff.
The Holy See stated Benedict was getting continuous healthcare.
“I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the Church,” Francis stated at the end of his basic audience previously onWednesday “He is very sick, asking the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church, until the end.”
Later, Vatican representative Matteo Bruni included: “I can confirm that in the last few hours his condition worsened due to age. The situation at present is under control, monitored constantly by doctors.”
Benedict, 95, in 2013 ended up being the very first pope in more than 600 years to resign amidst the clerical sexual assault scandal that swallowed up the church. He has actually been residing in the Vatican ever since.
Formerly the Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany, Benedict was born in Marktl Inn, Bavaria, in1927 Benedict was prepared into the German anti-aircraft corps at 16, and was quickly apprehended by United States soldiers in 1945 prior to being launched back to the seminary.
In 1951, Benedict was ordained into the priesthood, increasing to end up being the head of the Catholic church in 2005 at the age of 78.
An independent report in January discovered the previous pope had actually stopped working to act in 4 cases of sexual attack when he acted as the Archbishop of Munich from 1977 to1982 He later on said sorry for the handling of the cases, however confessed no misbehavior.
The previous pope has actually mostly avoided of the general public eye because his retirement.
Claudio Lavanga reported from Rome, Rhoda Kwan reported from Taipei.
