Inside The Death Of Former Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI died on December 31 at the Vatican, NBC reported. The Vatican issued a statement confirming his death, but offered no official cause of his death. He was 95 years old at the time of his passing.

The former pope had been ill and was facing a "deterioration due to the advancement of [his] age," Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni shared at the end of 2022, per CNN. "I want to ask you all for a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict who sustains the Church in his silence. He is very sick. We ask the Lord to console and sustain him in this witness of love for the Church to the very end," Pope Francis told the audience at the Vatican on December 28.

At the time, Bruni stated that Pope Benedict XVI was being monitored by doctors and the situation was "under control." He added that Pope Francis visited his predecessor at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery, where the 95-year-old had been staying since he stepped down from his position in 2013. Pope Benedict XVI's decision to step down was just one of the many controversial moments of his papacy.

Pope Benedict XVI was elected as the head of the Catholic Church in 2005, according to Biography. He stepped down after only eight years due to his health, a shocking move that hadn't been done by a pope in hundreds of years before him. Pope Benedict XVI was a polarizing pope, as he showed staunch devotion to the church's doctrine and took strong stances against the LGBTQ+ community.

In 2008, he addressed an alleged child abuse scandal within the church, but was accused of protecting 19 bishops that were accused of molesting children, ABC News reported. In January 2022, it was revealed that Pope Benedict XVI was allegedly privy to instances of sexual child abuse during his time as the archbishop of Munich, per BBC. Although the former pope denied the accusations, it was found that the four accused priests still remained active during his tenure, and was alleged in a report commissioned by the German Catholic Church that Pope Benedict XVI was present when the matter was discussed during a meeting.

Following the allegations, Pope Benedict XVI apologized for his handling of the charges, although his lawyers denied he was "involved in any cover-up of acts of abuse," (via NBC News). In a lengthy letter, the former pope wrote that he had met with abuse victims during his papacy and shared, "I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).