The Catholic Church is today mourning the death today of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI.
The 95-year-old German former pope died at 9.34 am local time at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, his residence at the Vatican, after his health deteriorated sharply earlier in the week. Pope Francis used his general audience on Wednesday to reveal to the world the declining health of his predecessor and to request prayers for him, saying he was “very ill”.
Pope Benedict received the Sacrament of the Sick later that day. It later emerged that he was losing consciousness, and his decline was attributed to old age. He rallied later in the week and by Thursday had become sufficiently strong to participate in Mass from his bed.
