Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni said Pope Francis, who asked the faithful earlier on Wednesday to pray for Benedict, went to visit his predecessor in the monastery on Vatican grounds where the retired pontiff has lived since retiring in February 2013.
"Regarding the health conditions of the emeritus pope, for whom Pope Francis asked for prayers at the end of his general audience this morning, I can confirm that in the last hours, a worsening due to advanced age has happened," Mr Bruni said in a written statement.
"The situation at the moment remains under control, constantly monitored by doctors," according to the statement.
Pope Francis earlier said his predecessor is "very sick", and he asked the faithful to pray for the retired pontiff so God will comfort him "to the very end".
This story is from the December 29, 2022 edition of Manchester Evening News.
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This story is from the December 29, 2022 edition of Manchester Evening News.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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