Advertisement
The Vatican announced that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away at the age of 95. His passing on Saturday came after Pope Francis requested prayers for him, stating that he was “very sick.”
Benedict served as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the influential head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office, formerly known as the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, for nearly 25 years (CDF).
According to the Holy See Press Office, Benedict, the first German pope in a millennium, passed away in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where he had chosen to live after stepping down in 2013.
Advertisement
The Vatican has been evasive regarding Benedict’s illness, stating only that his deteriorating health was brought on by his advanced age.
Declaration of the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni
“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.”— Holy See Press Office (@HolySeePress) December 31, 2022