By John Ikani
Former Pope Benedict XVI has died at his Vatican residence, aged 95, almost a decade after he resigned from the papal seat because of ailing health.
“It is with great sorrow that we inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” the Vatican announced.
The Vatican added that “the body of the Pope Emeritus will be in Saint Peter’s Basilica so the faithful can bid farewell” from Monday, January 2.
Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany, Benedict was 78 when in 2005 he became one of the oldest Popes ever elected.
He led the Catholic Church for less than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.
Benedict was a critic of environmental destruction and the “cruelty of capitalism” but was a staunch conservative on religious matters
He spent his final years at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery within the walls of the Vatican.
His successor, Pope Francis, said he had visited him there frequently.
Although the former Pontiff had been ill for some time, the Holy See said there had been an aggravation in his condition because of advancing age.
On Wednesday, Pope Francis appealed to his final audience of the year at the Vatican to “pray a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict”, whom he said was very ill.
