Pope Francis' words on the health of his predecessor set off alarms about the condition of the Pope emeritus.
Vatican sources point out that already at the beginning of December, coinciding with the Ratzinger Prize, the Pope emeritus' doctors had detected a weakening of his chest muscles. Consequently, causing him difficulties in breathing and speaking.
The Prize winners who went to visit him said that it was difficult to hear his faint voice. But despite his physical weakness, his mind was still very clear.
The Pope emeritus has been in poor health for many years. When he was Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, he presented his resignation to Pope John Paul II, citing health problems.
In 2003, then Cardinal Ratzinger had a pacemaker inserted. It was two years before he was elected to the papacy.
In 2014, Vatican spokesperson, Fr. Federico Lombardi, confirmed that the Pope had undergone a routine operation to replace the pacemaker.
Right now, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, inside the Vatican. He is being attended to by a health team, including his personal doctor, who also accompanied him regularly on international papal trips.
CA
TR: KG
