Emeritus Benedict

Just one week after the funeral of Benedict XVI, his closest aide released a much-trailed memoir Thursday, revealing details of tensions between the late pope emeritus and his more liberal successor Pope Francis.

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds.

Pope Benedict the Sixteenth died Saturday at the age of 95, the Vatican announced, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries.

At the age of 93 and nearly five months, Benedict XVI officially became the oldest pope in history on Friday, even if the record is complicated by the fact that he stepped down in 2013 and holds the status of "pope emeritus".

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI hinted Wednesday that he is nearing death and is ready for his final "pilgrimage" at the age of 90.

Pope Francis today launched an extraordinary Catholic Jubilee year by opening a "Holy Door" in the walls of St Peter's, embracing a 700-year-old tradition while urging the Church to reach out and embrace the modern world with mercy.

Pope Francis on Sunday asked a group of elderly and sick members of Rome's seaside parish to pray for him because he, too, had grown old and was ailing.

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI was particularly pleased with the World Cup final because there were players from his native Bavaria in the winning team but said he hoped Argentina would recover quickly, his secretary said on Monday.

In a historic match-up of papacies past and present, Pope Francis and emeritus Pope Benedict XVI honored Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in the first ever canonization of two popes.

John Paul II's canonisation will be one of the fastest in recent history - he died in 2005.

The soccer World Cup taking place in Brazil this year indirectly prompted Benedict XVI to bring forward his resignation as pope by a year, his private secretary told a German newspaper on Friday.

A year after his shock resignation, Pope Emeritus Benedict has no regrets and believes history will vindicate his tumultuous and much-criticised papacy, the man closest to him told Reuters in a rare interview.

Pope Francis made a Christmas visit to Pope Emeritus Benedict on Monday and said he found his 86-year-old predecessor looking well, according to television footage released by the Vatican.

Pope Francis on Sunday proclaimed as saints some 800 Italians killed in the 15th century for refusing to convert to Islam, and said many Christians were still being persecuted for their faith.

Benedict XVI moved back to the Vatican on Thursday, opening an uncertain era in Catholic Church history where an "emeritus pope" and a ruling pontiff will live as neighbours for the first time.

Just one week after the funeral of Benedict XVI, his closest aide released a much-trailed memoir Thursday, revealing details of tensions between the late pope emeritus and his more liberal successor Pope Francis.

The German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been living a quiet life in a former convent inside the Vatican grounds.

Pope Benedict the Sixteenth died Saturday at the age of 95, the Vatican announced, almost a decade after he became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries.

At the age of 93 and nearly five months, Benedict XVI officially became the oldest pope in history on Friday, even if the record is complicated by the fact that he stepped down in 2013 and holds the status of "pope emeritus".

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI hinted Wednesday that he is nearing death and is ready for his final "pilgrimage" at the age of 90.

Pope Francis today launched an extraordinary Catholic Jubilee year by opening a "Holy Door" in the walls of St Peter's, embracing a 700-year-old tradition while urging the Church to reach out and embrace the modern world with mercy.

Pope Francis on Sunday asked a group of elderly and sick members of Rome's seaside parish to pray for him because he, too, had grown old and was ailing.

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI was particularly pleased with the World Cup final because there were players from his native Bavaria in the winning team but said he hoped Argentina would recover quickly, his secretary said on Monday.

In a historic match-up of papacies past and present, Pope Francis and emeritus Pope Benedict XVI honored Popes John XXIII and John Paul II in the first ever canonization of two popes.

John Paul II's canonisation will be one of the fastest in recent history - he died in 2005.

The soccer World Cup taking place in Brazil this year indirectly prompted Benedict XVI to bring forward his resignation as pope by a year, his private secretary told a German newspaper on Friday.

A year after his shock resignation, Pope Emeritus Benedict has no regrets and believes history will vindicate his tumultuous and much-criticised papacy, the man closest to him told Reuters in a rare interview.

Pope Francis made a Christmas visit to Pope Emeritus Benedict on Monday and said he found his 86-year-old predecessor looking well, according to television footage released by the Vatican.

Pope Francis on Sunday proclaimed as saints some 800 Italians killed in the 15th century for refusing to convert to Islam, and said many Christians were still being persecuted for their faith.

Benedict XVI moved back to the Vatican on Thursday, opening an uncertain era in Catholic Church history where an "emeritus pope" and a ruling pontiff will live as neighbours for the first time.