Benedict XVI participated in Mass from his bed yesterday, the Vatican has revealed amid speculation that the Pope Emeritus is dying.
Matteo Bruni, director of the Holy See Press Office, said that Benedict, 95, was “able to rest well” on Thursday night as his condition continues to stabilise.
“He also participated in the celebration of Holy Mass in his room yesterday afternoon,” Mr Bruni said. “At present his condition is stationary.”
Speculation about a rapid decline in Pope Benedict’s health has intensified since Pope Francis used his general audience on Wednesday to request prayers for his predecessor, telling the world that he was “very ill”.
In Rome today a Mass was celebrated at the Basilica of St John Lateran especially for Pope Benedict. The chief celebrant was Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, Vicar of the Diocese of Rome.
The Diocese of Rome has encouraged “parish communities, chaplaincies, religious men and women, all the faithful of the diocese and all the men and women of good will who live in Rome” to gather in prayer for Benedict XVI.
According to Vatican News, it has urged the faithful to remember “with gratitude the road travelled together with our bishop emeritus” and to accompany him now “in this time of suffering and hardship, praying to the Lord that He may console him and sustain him in his witness of love for the Church until the end”.
Earlier in the week, Mr Bruni announced a deterioration in Benedict’s condition due to “advancing age”.
He said, however, that the ailments were “under control” and that the Pope Emeritus was being continually monitored and cared for by doctors.
A well-informed Vatican source told the Catholic Herald on Wednesday evening that Benedict was not suffering from “any particular grave illness” but is “gradually wearing out and fading away due to his advanced age”.
The source confirmed a report in the National Catholic Register that Benedict had a recent modification to his pacemaker but described this, along with reported kidney failure, as “typical of old age” rather than due to a specific illness or disease.
The source also explained that Benedict’s condition had significantly worsened on Tuesday night, to the point of losing consciousness.
Benedict later regained consciousness and was said to be “alert” but on Wednesday evening took a turn for the worse, with those close to him believing he was entering his final hours. By Thursday morning, however, his condition had stabilised.
The source stressed that such lapses of consciousness, particularly in the elderly, can be a part of the “mystery” of the evening of life.
“We have probably reached the last phase of his earthly life, and we must prepare and pray for him and for the Church. But only God knows when this will happen: this evening, tomorrow night, in a few days or perhaps in ten,” the source said. “I don’t think we can speak of months now, but we are in the Lord’s hands now more than ever.”
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