Quo Vadis

January 9, 2023

In this video we share Pope Benedict XVI's Last Days Before His Death.

Benedict XVI's secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein went home to his native Germany to see his family, but quickly returned to Rome when the pope emeritus began to weaken.

As Joseph Ratzinger's collaborator from 1996 and his personal secretary from 2003 to 2022, Archbishop Georg Gänswein was one of those closest to the Pope Emeritus in his final days.

In an interview with Vatican New on January 4, 2023, he told how the last week of Pope Benedict XVI passed.

Benedict XVI's personal secretary explained that he went to Germany on December 26 to visit his family.

The next morning, one of the consecrated laywomen at Mater Ecclesiae called to tell him that Benedict XVI had a very bad night and that Doctor Patrizio Polisca, the Italian cardiologist who is taking care of the Pope Emeritus, had come.

On December 27, Archbishop Gänswein decided to fly back to Rome.

He arrived at the Mater Ecclesiae monastery at 1 a m on December 28.

"I immediately went to him and I was afraid because he was breathing very hard," he said.

He called Pope Francis in the morning to warn him of the very bad condition of Benedict XVI.

That was the day the Pope warned the world at Wednesday's audience that Benedict was very ill.

Pope Francis then left immediately after the audience and blessed his predecessor.

The rest of the day was "difficult," Archbishop Gänswein said, but the next morning, "despite all the bad odds," the Pope Emeritus' health improved without the doctor being able to explain it.

However, the situation worsened rapidly and Archbishop Gänswein decided to give Benedict XVI the Anointing of the Sick. Mass was then held in his room. Benedict XVI took communion, receiving only the blood of Christ with a liturgical spoon because he had not eaten for "two days".

The German pope's last night on December 30-31 "went quite well," he explained. During this night the pope emeritus said " Lord, I love you ", between 2:50 and 3:10 a m.

Then morning came and "within three hours" he faltered, says Archbishop Gänswein.

"Thank God, the torment did not last that long, before he passed into eternity at 9:34 a m, writes Aleteia.

In the conversation, the German archbishop also spoke about his personal relationship with Benedict XVI, saying that in recent days he had experienced a real "Via Crucis" - the Way of the Cross - with him.

But he says that above all he remembers his "joy" and is happy that the "deep treasure" that Benedict XVI leaves as a legacy can be discovered by others.

Archbishop Gänswein concludes: "I know that Pope Benedict is now where he wanted to go."

Mirrored from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDsK5QpK_nk