Vatican-SANA
The Vatican announced the death of former Pope Benedict XVI this morning at the age of 95.
Was quoted by AFP on Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni as saying in a statement: The Pope Benedict XVI died this morning in one of the Vatican monasteries.
The current Pope Francis announced last Wednesday that his predecessor was seriously ill, and that he was praying for him.
It is noteworthy that the late Pope Benedict, whose name is Joseph Ratzinger, was elected to the position of Pope after an electoral retreat on the 19th of April 2005, and the Divine Liturgy was held for his enthronement on the 24th of the same month, and he assumed the reins of power according to the Catholic tradition on the 7th of May in the Cathedral of Saint John Lateran in Rome, then he resigned from his position on February 28, 2013 due to his advanced age, to be the first pope to resign in 600 years, after which he resided in the town of Castel Gandolfo before moving to one of the monasteries located in the Vatican Gardens, retaining the title “His Holiness” as he retained the honorary title “ the pope".