Vatican: Benedict XVI lucid, stable, nevertheless condition 'serious'

Vatican: Benedict XVI lucid, stable, nevertheless condition serious

VATICAN CITY (AP) ” Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is lucid, conscious accompanied by every one one other accompanied by firm nevertheless his condition remains serious, the Vatican said Thursday, a day following it revealed that the 95-year-old™s health had deteriorated recently.

A statement from Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said Pope Francis asked for continued prayers to go accompanied by him inside these difficult hours.

On Wednesday Francis revealed that Benedict was extremely ill accompanied by every one one other accompanied by went to see Benedict at his place of residence inside the Vatican Gardens where he has lived since retiring inside 2013, sparking fears that he was near death.

The Vatican subsequent said Benedict™s health had deteriorated inside recent hours nevertheless that the circumstances was under jurisdiction while doctors monitored him.

Benedict inside 2013 became the earliest pope inside 600 years to retire, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by he chose to exist not here his retirement inside seclusion inside a converted monastery inside the Vatican Gardens. Few had expected his retirement ” now inside its 10th year ” to last longer than his eight-year reign while pope.

Bruni said Thursday that Benedict managed to relax well last night, is completely lucid accompanied by every one one other accompanied by conscious accompanied by every one one other accompanied by today, while his condition remains grave, the circumstances at the little while is stable.

Pope Francis renews the invitation to pray for him accompanied by every one one other accompanied by go accompanied by him inside these difficult hours, he said.

Pope Francis

Vatican says health of former pope Benedict XVI worsening

Retired popes ailing health raises questions of whats next

Popes lament: Icy winds of war buffet humanity at Christmas

Pope on Christmas: Jesus was poor, so dont exist power-hungry

Responding to that call, the diocese of Rome scheduled a exceptional Mass inside integrity of Benedict on Friday at St. John Lateran, Benedict™s former basilica inside his capacity while the bishop of Rome.

Word of Benedict™s declining health unswerving away posed questions concerning what would occur when he dies, specified the unprecedented the real world of having a reigning pope presumably presiding over the burial of a former pope.

Most Vatican experts expect some burial would look exist fond of that for some former bishop of Rome, albeit accompanied by the caveat that there would exist official delegations to integrity a former head of state, while well while pilgrims from Germany ” homeland of Benedict, the former Joseph Ratzinger ” accompanied by every one one other accompanied by beyond.

While St. Peter™s Square was mostly filled accompanied by visitors from overseas on Thursday ” all over summit Christmas tourist hour dated ” some Italians were not here to pay their respects or at least provide a prayer.

Obviously it is a bad situation, we are all near to Pope Ratzinger, we are sad concerning the situation, so we came here to build our small contribution, said one pilgrim, Giorgio Gibin.

Another guest to the square, Anna MaÅ‚cka, noted Benedict™s state-of-the-art number of years accompanied by every one one other accompanied by wished him well.

I exist convinced by by now he has lived concerning lengthy enough, poverty-stricken thing, accompanied by every one one other accompanied by since he is sick, he is not well, if God wishes, he will lay clasp of him away, she said.

Otherwise, while the Vatican paper casual place inside set in print L™Osservatore Romano headlined its Thursday editions accompanied by report of Benedict™s health, actuality continued while normal inside the tiny city-state that Benedict accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Pope Francis call home.

Francis had a seemingly procedure day of audiences Thursday, gathering accompanied by his ambassador to Madagascar, the leader of the Swiss Guards accompanied by every one one other accompanied by a fellow Jesuit.

In the square, the dash of tourists waiting to obtain into St. Peter™s Basilica wrapped almost entirely around the piazza, accompanied by couples accompanied by every one one other accompanied by families stopping to constitute for selfies inside front of the life-sized Nativity scene accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Christmas saplingconifer place up inside the square.

Small groups of nuns hurried across the cobblestones accompanied by every one one other accompanied by tour guides holding flags herded their charges, while nearby souvenir sellers did brisk labour hawking Vatican magnets, rosaries accompanied by every one one other accompanied by bobblehead Francis statues.

We hadn™t heard the news, said Liam Marchesano, a 22-year-old economics student from Mantova who was waiting to see the basilica accompanied by his girlfriend. Maybe that™s why there™s such a lengthy line.

___

Luigi Navarra accompanied by every one one other accompanied by Joel Paqui contributed.