Former pope Benedict has reportedly passed on at age 95. This information was announced to the public in a statement by the Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni. According to the statement Pope Benedict passed on at 9:34 am on Saturday at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.
“With sorrow, I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement.”
The former Pope who made a very shocking decision to resign from his position in February 2013, had been living quietly in a former convent inside the Vatican ground.
If we can recall, Pope Francis, called on the whole world to render prayers for Pope Benedict Emeritus, on Wednesday after the Vatican disclosed that his condition has grown worse, seeing that his health condition has been declining for a while.
There is no information regarding his funeral arrangements yet, but this funeral will take place at the Vatican, and will be presided over by Pope Francis.
Pope Benedict after his resignation, totally withdrew from the entire world, as subsequent pictures of him, showed how frail he was, although he revealed that his health condition was one of the reasons he decided to resign as the head of the Catholic Church worldwide.
Pope Benedict Emeritus, while he was still in position was berated for lack of leadership, as the issue of clerical sexual abuse of children rocked the Catholic Church then.