Benedict XVI: the former pope died at the age of 95

Made history in 2013, after becoming the first pope to resign from office, Benedict XVI died Saturday, December 31, 2022 at the age of 95, as officially announced by the Vatican. His funeral, which should be celebrated by his successor in Rome, will be an unprecedented event in the history of the Papacy. Tens of thousands of people could attend the funeral of the former Pope, including heads of state. As a reminder, Pope Francis revealed on Wednesday December 28, 2022 that his predecessor was “seriously ill“, while calling to pray for him.

“I have the pain to announce to you that the pope emeritus, Benedict XVI, died today at 9:34 a.m., at the Monastery Mater Ecclesiae, in the Vatican. Further information will be communicated to you as soon as possible.“, indicated in a press release the director of the press service of the Holy See, Matteo Bruni, in order to officially announce the disappearance of Benedict XVI. For the record, the 265th Pope in the history of the Catholic Church was a brilliant theologian, not very comfortable with walkabouts. In 2013, Joseph Ratzinger, his real name, justified his resignation by claiming to be too weak for “adequately exercise the ministryas head of the Church.

Benedict XVI: frail and visibly weakened, the former Pope moved around in a wheelchair

Currently suffering from knee pain, 86-year-old Pope Francis may well emulate his predecessor. Indeed, the current sovereign pontiff himself left the door “opened” to a possible resignation on his part. A few months before his death, Benoit XVI had appeared more and more fragile. The former Pope was notably seen moving around with the help of a wheelchair. Although he still continued to receive visitors within the monastery in the Vatican Gardens, where he had retired since his resignation, the former sovereign pontiff had become a frail and visibly weakened man, as shown by the photos of his last visit received, dated December 1, 2022.