"Lord, I...": Pope Benedict's Last Words Recorded By His Bedside Nurse - NDTV

Former pope Benedict XVI died astatine 95, the Vatican announced Saturday, astir a decennary aft helium became the archetypal pontiff to resign successful six centuries. According to his bedside nurse, the pope's past words were recorded.

Archbishop Georg Ganswein, Benedict's idiosyncratic secretary, told Vatican News, "With conscionable a susurration of a voice, but successful a intelligibly distinguishable manner, [Benedict] said successful Italian, 'Lord, I emotion you!' I was not there, but the caregiver told maine astir it soon afterwards."

Mr Ganswein added, "These were his past comprehensible words due to the fact that afterwards, helium was nary longer capable to explicit himself."

The German pope emeritus, whose commencement sanction was Joseph Ratzinger, had been surviving a quiescent beingness successful a erstwhile convent wrong the Vatican grounds since his shocked determination to measurement down successful February 2013, reported AFP.

According to Vatican News, his wellness had been declining for a agelong clip and connected Wednesday his concern worsened, portion his successor Pope Francis called for Catholics worldwide to commune for him.

Tens of thousands of radical paid their respects connected Monday to erstwhile pope Benedict XVI astatine the Vatican, starting 3 days of lying-in-state successful St Peter's Basilica earlier his funeral.

They began queueing earlier dawn to presumption the German theologian's body, which was transferred aboriginal successful the greeting from the monastery connected the Vatican grounds wherever helium died connected Saturday aged 95.

"I arrived astatine 6:00 am, it seemed mean to travel and wage homage to him aft each helium did for the church," said an Italian nun, sister Anna-Maria, adjacent the beforehand of the enactment that snaked astir the immense St Peter's Square.

Benedict led the Catholic Church for 8 years to 2013 earlier becoming the archetypal pope successful six centuries to measurement down, citing declining health.

His successor Pope Francis volition pb the ceremonial connected Thursday successful St Peter's Square earlier Benedict's remains are placed successful the tombs beneath the basilica.

He volition beryllium buried successful the tomb which held pope John Paul II's remains until 2011, Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said Monday.

Benedict's body, dressed successful reddish papal mourning robes and a gold-edged mitre, was laid retired connected a catafalque draped successful golden cloth successful beforehand of the altar of St Peter's, flanked by 2 Swiss Guards.

Many of that filing past took pictures connected their smartphones, portion immoderate prayed oregon made the motion of the cross.