Former Pope Benedict XVI Dies At Vatican Residence, Aged 95

Former Pope Benedict XVI died at his Vatican residence, aged 95 on Saturday. The former Pope was suffering from age-related ailments.

Benedict was born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany He was 78 years old when he became Pope in 2005. He led the Catholic Church for less than eight years until 2013 and stepped down because of ill health.  He became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415. He was succeeded by the current Pope Francis.

The 95-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away on Saturday at 9:34 AM in his residence at the Vatican's Mater Ecclesiae Monastery. The Vatican said in a statement: "With sorrow, I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican. "Further information will be provided as soon as possible."

“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.

Further information will be provided as soon as possible.” pic.twitter.com/O5dxoPaVkT

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) December 31, 2022

As per the Vatican News press release Pope Francis himself publicly shared the news about his predecessor's worsening health at the end of the last General Audience of the year, on 28 December. The Pope had invited people to pray for the Pope Emeritus, who was "very ill," so that the Lord might console him and support him "in this witness of love for the Church until the end." The Vatican Holy See Press Office will communicate the news of the funeral rites shortly.

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