Benedict XVI, former pope, dies aged 95

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has passed away at the age of 95 on Saturday at 9:34am in his residence at the Vatican's Mater Ecclesiae Monastery.

He led the Catholic Church for less than eight years until, in 2013, he became the first Pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.

“With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.

Further information will be provided as soon as possible.” pic.twitter.com/O5dxoPaVkT

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) December 31, 2022

This will be the first time that a sitting pope (his successor Pope Francis) will preside over the funeral of his predecessor.

On Wednesday, Pope Francis appealed to his final audience of the year at the Vatican to "pray a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict", whom he said was very ill.

Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna, who worked by Ratzinger's side within the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, paid tribute to the man he called a "pilgrim of reconciliation".

Scicluna said that Ratzinger dedicated his life to teaching and study and that with his great “humility and wisdom”, he was a great servant to the people of god.

“We Maltese will always remember him for the great gift of canonising our saint, Saint George Preca, and for the visit to the islands in 2010. He came as a pilgrim of reconciliation at a difficult time for the church around the world. He came with his humility, with his wisdom, with his candour, with his modesty. He left a mark in our hearts,” Scicluna said.

Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany, Benedict was 78 when in 2005 he became one of the oldest popes ever elected.

For much of his papacy, the Catholic Church faced allegations, legal claims and official reports into decades of child abuse by priests.

Earlier this year the former Pope acknowledged that errors had been made in the handling of abuse cases while he was archbishop of Munich between 1977 and 1982.

The Maltese Government sends its condolences 

In a statement, the Government of Malta remembered the memory of Pope Benedict XVI and sent its condolences to the Vatican State.

Benedict XVI became linked to Malta after canonizing Ġorġ Preca in 2007, the first Maltese to receive sainthood.

He visited Malta in April 2010, and thereafter expressed his gratitude for the warm welcome he received from the people in Malta and Gozo.

Prime Minister Robert Abela said he remembers fondly his own meeting with the pope during his apostolic visit to Malta, and also remembers the important meetings held during this same visit, including with Maltese youth.