During his General Audience, Pope Francis asked for prayers for his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI. He described the pope emeritus as “sustaining the Church” in silence.
Despite stepping down from the pontificate in 2013, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has remained involved in the life of the Church. This past August after the consistory where Pope Francis made 20 new cardinals, the Pope emeritus met with each person.
In October, Pope Benedict XVI also wrote a letter to the president of Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio. In it, he encourages the power and spirit of Vatican II in the Church.
Pope Benedict XVI also held a private audience with painter Natalia Tsarkova for a presentation of her recent portrait of the Pope emeritus in November.
Since his resignation, Pope Benedict XVI continued to hold private audiences with different people and to spend time in the Vatican Gardens.
KG
