The Vatican in a recent public engagement announces former Pope Benedict XVI’s health has deteriorated further following Wednesday’s media intimation on the health of the Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI. The Vatican spokesperson relates, “his health has worsened” due to his old age and that he is constantly being monitored by doctors.

The break on silence on the health of the former pope came to the limelight when current serving Pope Francis requested prayers for his predecessor on Wednesday morning, saying he is “very sick”. The unexpected call for prayers came at the end of Pope Francis’ general audience at the Vatican with no further deliberation on the details of the Emeritus’ health. These were the words from Pope Francis on wednesday-“I would like to ask all of you for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict, who, in silence, is sustaining the Church. Let us remember him. “He is very sick, asking the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church, until the end.”

Pope Benedict XVI, now 95 years old, is the second pope in over 600 years who resigned from his position as Pope of the Catholic church in 2013 but still remain resident in the Vatican. As the Emeritus, his role has been long been argued within the Vatican since his resignation.

Pope Benedict XVI, was originally known as Joseph Alois Ratzinger and was born to German parents in Bavaria Germany. Benedict’s father was a policeman and his mother a hotel cook.

At his tender age, Ratzinger now Benedict XVI, was six years old when Hitler came to power in 1933. His father, also called Joseph, was a staunch Catholic and an anti-Nazi.

Drafted into the army during his teenage, though he claimed not have taken active role in combat nor fired a shot, young Alois had large appetite for the priesthood at an early age and continued his education in a seminary after the war.

Benedict XVI was ordained as a priest in June 1951 and began a long career in academia, teaching theology at a number of universities in Germany.