The former pope, who had been in office for almost eight years, died in a convent on the Vatican grounds where he had lived since 2013.
“Unfortunately, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died today at 9:34 am at the Monastery of Mater Ecclesia in the Vatican,” the Press Service of the Holy See announced.
Benedict’s health had deteriorated in recent days, but the Vatican said Friday that his condition was “stable” and he attended Mass in his room on Thursday.
The 265th Pope’s funeral was to be celebrated in Rome by their successor Francis. This was an unprecedented event in the 2000-year history of the Catholic Church and was attended by tens of thousands of people, including heads of state.