Pope Francis asked his audience for prayers for his predecessor, Pope Benedict, on Wednesday at the Vatican, describing the 95-year-old as "very sick," CNN reports.
Benedict, who served as the head of the Church from 2005 until his resignation in 2013, is experiencing a "deterioration due to the advancement of [his] age," a spokesman subsequently confirmed, adding, "the situation at the moment remains under control and continually monitored by his doctors."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
'King of the Hill' actor shot dead outside homespeed read Jonathan Joss was fatally shot by a neighbor who was 'yelling violent homophobic slurs,' says his husband
-
DOJ, Boulder police outline attacker's confessionspeed read Mohamed Sabry Soliman planned the attack for a year and 'wanted them all to die'
-
Depleted FEMA struggling as hurricane season beginsspeed read FEMA has lost a third of its workforce amid DOGE cuts enforced by President Donald Trump
-
Where the new Pope Leo XIV stands on social issuesThe Explainer The first American pontiff is expected to continue some of his predecessor's work
-
Prevost elected first US pope, becomes Leo XIVspeed read Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a Chicago native who spent decades living in Peru
-
Leo XIV vs. Trump: what will first American Pope mean for US Catholics?Today's Big Question New pope has frequently criticised the president, especially on immigration policy, but is more socially conservative than his predecessor
-
Could the next pope be an American?Today's Big Question Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a possible 'superpower pope'
-
What would an African pope mean for the continent?Today's Big Question The Catholic Church has never had a pope from Africa in its modern history
-
Millions mourn as Vatican prepares for transitionFeature Pope Francis, the pontiff who challenged tradition, leaves the Catholic Church at a crossroad to choose his successor
-
Pope Francis obituary: modernising pontiff who took the Gospel to the marginsIn the Spotlight For traditionalist Catholics, Jorge Bergoglio's reforms often seemed to go too far; progressives, though, will demand more of his successor
-
How will the next pope change the Catholic Church?Talking Points Conclaves can be unpredictable
