Pope Benedict: Vatican gives update on former Pope's condition - latest update - The Independent

Recap: Who is erstwhile pope Benedict XVI?

The erstwhile pope was erstwhile known arsenic ‘God’s Rottweiler’ for his hardline blimpish views.

My workfellow Thomas Kingsley takes a person look astatine pope Benedict XVI:

Matt Mathers30 December 2022 10:00

Unclear aforesaid protocols volition use erstwhile Benedict dies

It is unclear whether the accustomed protocols volition use erstwhile ex-Pope Benedict does die, an adept has said.

The Catholic Church has strict rules successful spot for erstwhile its person passes away.

Citing aged age, Benedict XVI resigned successful 2013, becoming the archetypal pope successful six centuries to measurement distant from the role.

He has continued to unrecorded astatine the Vatican, meaning determination person been 2 popes surviving alongside 1 different for astir a decade.

“We’ve ne'er had this earlier wherever a surviving pope volition assistance hide a dormant pope,” Catholic historiographer John McGreevy said.

Matt Mathers30 December 2022 09:00

Pope Benedict's 'condition grave'

Pope Francis connected Wednesday revealed that Pope Benedict was “very ill” and went to spot him astatine his location successful the Vatican wherever helium has lived since retiring successful 2013, sparking fears that helium was adjacent death.

The Vatican aboriginal said Benedict’s wellness had deteriorated successful caller hours, but that the concern was nether power arsenic doctors monitored him.

Benedict successful 2013 became the archetypal pope successful 600 years to resign, and helium chose to unrecorded retired his status successful seclusion successful a converted monastery successful the Vatican Gardens.

Few had expected his status — present successful its 10th twelvemonth — to past longer than his eight-year reign arsenic pope.

Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said yesterday that Benedict “managed to remainder good past night, is perfectly lucid and alert and today, portion his information remains grave, the concern astatine the infinitesimal is stable.”

“Pope Francis renews the invitation to commune for him and travel him successful these hard hours,” helium said.

Namita Singh30 December 2022 08:00

What would hap if Pope Benedict dies

Word of Pope Benedict’s declining wellness instantly posed questions astir what would hap erstwhile helium dies, fixed the unprecedented world of having a reigning pope presumably presiding implicit the ceremonial of a erstwhile pope.

Most Vatican experts expect immoderate ceremonial would lucifer that for immoderate retired bishop of Rome, albeit with the caveat that determination would beryllium authoritative delegations to grant a erstwhile caput of state, arsenic good arsenic pilgrims from Germany — homeland of Benedict, the erstwhile Joseph Ratzinger — and beyond.

Otherwise, portion the Vatican paper L’Osservatore Romano headlined its yesterday’s editions with quality of Benedict’s health, beingness continued arsenic mean successful the tiny city-state that Benedict and Pope Francis telephone home.

Francis had a seemingly regular time of audiences yesterday, gathering with his ambassador to Madagascar, the commandant of the Swiss Guards and a chap Jesuit.

In the square, the enactment of tourists waiting to get into St Peter’s Basilica wrapped astir wholly astir the piazza, with couples and families stopping to airs for selfies successful beforehand of the life-sized Nativity country and Christmas histrion acceptable up successful the square.

Namita Singh30 December 2022 07:30

In pictures: Believers from astir the satellite articulation successful supplication for Pope Benedict

Namita Singh30 December 2022 07:00

Believers connection prayers amid Pope Benedict's 'grave' wellness condition

Bishops successful Germany asked for prayers and immoderate of the faithful headed to the Chapel of Grace connected the municipality quadrate successful Altoetting, a large pilgrimage destination a fewer miles from Benedict’s hometown of Marktl americium Inn that helium visited galore times successful his life.

“I cognize that helium has been preparing for his coming location successful the eternal world,” said Herbert Hofauer, the retired politician of the profoundly Catholic municipality who said helium saw Benedict past successful the spring.

“I judge that helium is precise calmly looking guardant to this encounter.”

At the St Oswald religion successful Marktl, wherever Benedict was baptized, laic caput of the section congregation Sandra Maier enactment up a framed representation of the erstwhile pope and arranged a tiny pew truthful parishioners could kneel and commune for him.

Ms Maier said she was “shaken and profoundly moved by the news” connected Benedict’s health.

“I privation for him to person an casual clip present and not endure truthful much,” she said.

“We are arrogant present successful Marktl that we person a Bavarian pope,” Ms Maier, 50, said, recalling the 2 times she met him personally.

“He’s a bully antheral and was a large pope.”

While St Peter’s Square successful the Vatican was mostly filled with visitors from overseas yesterday — during highest Christmas tourer play — immoderate Italians were retired to wage their respects oregon astatine slightest connection a prayer.

“Obviously it is simply a atrocious situation, we are each adjacent to Pope Ratzinger, we are bittersweet astir the situation, truthful we came present to marque our tiny contribution,” said 1 pilgrim, Giorgio Gibin.

Namita Singh30 December 2022 06:30

Vatican: Benedict XVI lucid, stable, but information 'serious'

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is lucid, alert and unchangeable but his information remains serious, the Vatican said yesterday, a time aft it revealed that the 95-year-old’s wellness had deteriorated recently.

A connection from Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said Pope Francis asked for continued prayers “to travel him successful these hard hours.”

Namita Singh30 December 2022 06:00

Pope Francis asks for prayers for 'very sick' predecessor Pope Benedict XVI

Maryam Zakir-Hussain30 December 2022 05:00

Former pope Benedict shared ‘great affinity’ with precocious Queen, says Cardinal

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI shared a “great affinity” with the precocious Queen, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster has said.

The 95-year-old erstwhile pope’s historical determination to resign owed to property successful 2013 volition stay “an exception”, and helium admired the Queen for continuing her royal duties until the end, according to Cardinal Vincent Nichols.

His comments came aft the Vatican said the erstwhile pope’s wellness has worsened owed to his age, and doctors are perpetually monitoring his condition.

Maryam Zakir-Hussain30 December 2022 04:00

Catholic religion leaders from astir the satellite articulation successful supplication for Pope Benedict

Catholic religion leaders from Germany, Italy and the United States person joined successful Pope Francis’s telephone to commune for erstwhile Pope Benedict’s health.

German cardinal Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of Municht, told churchgoers connected Wednesday: “This greeting I received the quality that determination is large interest successful Rome astir the wellness of the Pope Emeritus. And truthful we particularly privation to see him successful our prayers.”

Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, caput of Italy’s bishops conference, asked Italians to support Benedict successful their thoughts “in this infinitesimal of suffering and trial”.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York, said successful a statement: “With large religion successful God’s goodness, I articulation with Pope Francis successful praying for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, and inquire the Catholic faithful of the Archdiocese of New York, and each radical of bully volition spell bash the same.”

Maryam Zakir-Hussain30 December 2022 03:00