Picture dated 07 June 1977 shows the late German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (R) at the Vatican city next to former Cardinals Benelli (2ndR), Gantin (C), Tomazek (2ndL) and Gappi (L). German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected 19 April 2005 to succeed
Former Pope Benedict XV has died at the age of 95 after battling an illness. 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 spent
The Vatican announced Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away Saturday morning at 9:34 a.m. He was 95 years old. He is most immediately remembered outside the Catholic Church for his surprise resignation — the first papal abdication since 1415 — and subsequent life as
Ex-Pope Benedict XVI may cause difficult decisions for the Vatican as the event of his death would raise a question for the Catholic Church over how to honour him. Born Joseph Ratzinger, the former Pope (now known as Emeritus) stepped down from
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is suffering from ill health, Pope Francis announced Wednesday as he finished his weekly general audience. “I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the Church,”
The Pope said Benedict XVI “supports the Church in silence” adding he asks for “the Lord to console him”. Francis did not elaborate on the condition of Benedict, who resigned as pontiff in February 2013, the first pope to retire in 600