Pope Emeritus Benedict ‘lucid’ but condition still ‘serious’: Vatican

Vatican City, Dec 29 (EFE).- Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is “lucid”, although his health condition remains “serious” but “stable”, the Vatican said Thursday.

On Wednesday, Pope Francis asked for “special prayers” for 95-year-old Benedict XVI, “who is very ill.”

“He is absolutely lucid and alert. Today, although his condition remains serious, the situation remains stable at the moment,” Vatican press office director Matteo Bruni said.

“Pope Francis renews his invitation to pray for him and accompany him in these difficult hours.”

Bruni issued a first press release on Wednesday to confirm that his condition had worsened “due to advancing age,” without giving further details.

Benedict XVI has reportedly refused to be transferred to a hospital from the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, in the Vatican gardens, where he has been living since 2013 after his resignation, and where he remains under constant surveillance by medical teams and accompanied by his secretary, Georg Gänswein.

According to the Italian daily La Stampa, citing sources close to the monastery, the pope emeritus is “responding positively to treatment.”

Since April 2, 2013, Joseph Ratzinger has lived under the care of his Vatican “family,” which consists of a secretary and four consecrated laywomen from the “Memores Domini” institute, which belongs to the Communion and Liberation movement, who share the household chores and handle the needs of the pope emeritus.

Benedict XVI was the first pontiff to resign since Gregory XII at the beginning of the 15th century. EFE

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