Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is recovering from a "painful" but "not serious" condition, says the Vatican

Benedict XVI ends the controversy over celibacy 1:31

(CNN) - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is recovering from a "painful" but "not serious" condition, the Vatican said.

In a statement to CNN, the Vatican press office said, according to Benedict's private secretary, Archbishop Georg Gänswein, “The state of health of the pope emeritus is not a cause for special concern, except for the fact that he is 93 years old. and is recovering from an acute phase of a painful but not serious condition. "

The statement comes after a report in a German newspaper that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is very ill with herpes zoster.

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The German newspaper Passauer Neue Presse quoted Benedict's biographer, Munich author Peter Seewald, who said Benedict is "extremely fragile."

Seewald said he saw Benedict on Saturday and his voice is "barely audible." But Seewald said the pope emeritus "seemed optimistic" and said he intended to start writing again when he regained his strength.

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