Vatican: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI health has worsened, prayers requested
Pope Benedict XVI FILE PHOTO: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, flanked by Prefect of the Pontifical House and his former personal secretary Georg Ganswein arrives at the Canonisation Mass . The Vatican confirmed that the former pope is in ill health. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
By Natalie Dreier, Cox Media Group National Content Desk
Vatican officials have confirmed that the health of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has worsened after Pope Francis asked the faithful to pray for his predecessor.
“Regarding the health conditions of the emeritus pope, for whom Pope Francis asked for prayers at the end of his general audience this morning, I can confirm that in the last hours, a worsening due to advanced age has happened,″ Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said in a written statement, according to The Associated Press.
Pope Francis had gone to the monastery where the 95-year-old former pope lives since his retirement in 2013.
Benedict now lives at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, BBC News reported.
The Vatican said that Benedict’s health is being “constantly monitored by doctors.”
Pope Francis had asked for prayers for Benedict on Wednesday during his general audience.
“I want to ask you all for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict who sustains the Church in his silence. He is very sick,” Francis said, according to CNN. “We ask the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church to the very end.”
Benedict resigned in an unprecedented move — a first in almost 600 years — citing advanced age. Pope Gregory XII was the previous pope who resigned from the papacy when he stepped down in 1415 to end a civil war within the Catholic Church, CNN reported. At the time more than one person claimed to be the pope.
Benedict served less than eight years, BBC News reported.
In 2018, Benedict wrote that “in the slow waning of my physical forces, inwardly I am on a pilgrimage toward Home.”
Benedict’s service to the church has come under scrutiny, especially his time when he served as Archbishop of Munich and Freising after a Church-commissioned report into abuse by clergy members was released.
The report found that he knew of four cases of sexual abuse of minors while serving as archbishop but he did not act and that he attended a meeting about one priest.
Benedict said he did attend the meeting but did not intentionally conceal his attendance, CNN reported.
Through the years VATICAN CITY - APRIL 19: Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (C) of Germany, waves from a balcony of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican after being elected by the conclave of cardinals April 19, 2005 in Vatican City. The 265th Pope will lead the world's 1 billion Catholics. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) (Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 19: Newly elected Pope Benedict XVI appears on the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica on April 19, 2005 in Vatican City. German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th Pope and will lead the world's 1 billion Catholics. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images) (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY - APRIL 24: Pope Benedict XVI holds his inaugural mass at St. Peter's Square April 24, 2005 in Vatican City. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims attended the first mass led by the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY - APRIL 24: Pope Benedict XVI leads his inaugural mass in Saint Peter's Square on April 24, 2005 in Vatican City. Thousands of pilgrims attended the mass led by the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - DECEMBER 24: Pope Benedict XVI gives Christmas Night Mass at St. Peter's Basilica on December 24, 2009 in Vatican City, Vatican. The mass on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are scheduled to be televised in an estimated 73 countries. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - DECEMBER 31: Pope Benedict XVI leads the First Vespers and Te Deum prayers at St. Peter's Basilica on December 31, 2009 in Vatican City, Vatican. On new year's eve two different perspectives converge; one is the end of the calendar year, the other is the solemn liturgy of Mary, which concludes with the Octave of the Nativity. The first event is common to everyone, the second is for believers. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 03: Pope Benedict XVI holds the Book of the Gospels during the Easter vigil mass in St. Peter's Basilica on April 3, 2010 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Easter Vigil Mass ushers in the celebration of Easter. (Photo by Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images) (Elisabetta Villa/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 04: Pope Benedict XVI delivers his Easter 'Urbi et Orbi' blessing from the central balcony of St Peter's Basilica on April 04, 2010 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Urbi et Orbi is a blessing and message delivered twice-yearly to the City and the World in 63 languages.(Photo by L'Osservatore Romano - Vatican Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)
Through the years CASTEL GANDOLFO, ITALY - JULY 26: Pope Benedict XVI reads papers in his summer residence on July 26, 2010 in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome, Italy. The Pontiff will visit England from September 16 - 19. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano - Vatican Pool via Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)
Through the years EDINBURGH, UNITED KINGDOM - SEPTEMBER 16: Queen Elizabeth II and Pope Benedict XVI leave to meet school children outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland, on September 16, 2010 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Pope Benedict XVI is conducting the first state visit to the UK by a Pontiff. During the four day visit Pope Benedict will celebrate mass, conduct a prayer vigil as well as beatify Cardinal Newman at an open air mass in Cofton Park. His Holiness will meet The Queen as well as political and religious representatives. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Through the years VENICE, ITALY - MAY 07: Pope Benedict XVI greets the crowd gathered in St Mark's Square while crossing the square on an electric car on May 7, 2011 in Venice, Italy. Pope Benedict XVI is visiting Venice until May 8, some 26 years after his predecessor Pope John Paul II last visited the city. (Photo by Marco Secchi/Getty Images) (Marco Secchi/Getty Images)
Through the years VENICE, ITALY - MAY 07: Pope Benedict XVI (R), accompanied by Angelo Scola, Patriarch of Venice greets the crowd gathered in St Mark's Square while crossing the square on an electric vehicle on May 7, 2011 in Venice, Italy. Pope Benedict XVI is visiting Venice until May 8, some 26 years after his predecessor Pope John Paul II last visited the city. (Photo by Marco Secchi/Getty Images) (Marco Secchi/Getty Images)
Through the years ERFURT, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 24: Pope Benedict XVI arrives to lead morning mass at Domplatz square in front of the Erfurter Dom cathedral on September 24, 2011 in Erfurt, Germany. The Pope later lead morning mass for tens of thosands of assembled pilgrims. The Pope is in Erfurt on the third of a four-day visit to Germany. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) (Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
Through the years FREIBURG IM BREISGAU, GERMANY - SEPTEMBER 24: Pope Benedict XVI arrives riding in the popemobile at Freiburg fair grounds for celebrating a vigil with young people on September 24, 2011 in Freiburg, Germany. The Pope is in Freiburg on the third of a four-day visit to Germany, and he will conclude his trip with an open air Sunday mass tomorrow near Freiburg. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images) (Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
Through the years HAVANA, CUBA - MARCH 29: Pope Benedict XVI meets with former Cuban President Fidel Castro (R) at the Vatican embassy on March 29, 2012 in Havana, Cuba. The Pope is finishing up his first trip to Cuba, fourteen years after Pope John Paul II visited the communist country. (Photo by L'Osservatore Romano Vatican-Pool/Getty Images) (Pool/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - DECEMBER 24: Pope Benedict XVI waves to the faithfuls as he leaves St. Peter's Basilica at the end of the Christmas night mass on December 24, 2012 in Vatican City, Vatican. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - FEBRUARY 13: Pope Benedict XVI leads the Ash Wednesday service at the St. Peter's Basilica on February 13, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. Ash Wednesday opens the liturgical 40-day period of Lent, a time of prayer, fasting, penitence and alms giving leading up to Easter. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - FEBRUARY 27: Pope Benedict XVI kisses a child as he arrives in St Peter's Square for his final general audience on February 27, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. The Pontiff attended his last weekly public audience before stepping down tomorrow. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He cites ailing health as his reason for retirement and will spend the rest of his life in solitude away from public engagements. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 28: Pope Benedict XVI waves to pilgrims, for the last time as head of the Catholic Church, from the window of Castel Gandolfo where he will start his retirement today on February 28, 2013 in Rome, Italy. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He will stay at the Papal Summer residence of Castel Gandolfo until renovations are complete at a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican and will be known as Roman Pope Emeritus. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 28: Pope Benedict XVI walks away for the last time as head of the Catholic Church, from the window of Castel Gandolfo where he will start his retirement today on February 28, 2013 in Rome, Italy. Pope Benedict XVI has been the leader of the Catholic Church for eight years and is the first Pope to retire since 1415. He will stay at the Papal Summer residence of Castel Gandolfo until renovations are complete at a monastery in the grounds of the Vatican and will be known as Roman Pope Emeritus. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images) (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - APRIL 27: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI arrives at the Canonisation Mass in which John Paul II and John XXIII are to be declared saints on April 27, 2014 in Vatican City, Vatican. Dignitaries, heads of state and Royals from Europe and across the World are to attend the canonisations. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Through the years VATICAN CITY, VATICAN - FEBRUARY 14: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and Pope Francis attend the Ordinary Public Consistory at St. Peter's Basilica on February 14, 2015 in Vatican City, Vatican. In addition to 15 new electors, Pope Francis named five new cardinals who are over the age of 80 and, therefore, ineligible to vote in a conclave. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images) (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)