Pope Appeals for Prayers for Predecessor

VATICAN CITY – Former Pope Benedict XVI is very ill according to Pope Francis, who is now asking pilgrims at the Vatican to pray for him.

At the end of the Pope’s final audience of the year, he asked people to, “Pray a special prayer” for Pope Benedict whose health according to the Vatican, had worsened in recent hours.

Ninety-five-year-old Benedict became the first leader of the Catholic Church to stand down in 600 years in 2013, citing advanced age.