Pope Francis asks faithful to pray for his predecessor: ‘pope emeritus Benedict is very sick’

Pope Francis has asked the faithful for special prayers for pope emeritus Benedict, who is very sick.

At the end of his audience inside the Vatican on Wednesday, Pope Francis said: “I want to ask from you a special prayer for pope emeritus Benedict, who is supporting the church through his: remember him, he is very sick, and ask God to console and support him in this testimony of love to the very end.”

Joseph Ratzinger, 95, stepped down from the papacy in 2013 and the conclave elected Argentine Jorge Mario Bergoglio as pope.

The Vatican’s director of information Matteo Bruni later confirmed that Benedict’s health took a turn for the worse as a result of his old age. Bruni said the situation was under control and the pope emeritus was being monitored by doctors.

He said that after the general audience, Pope Francis visited Benedict XVI at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery inside the Vatican. Benedict has been living there for almost 10 years.