Pope Benedict has marked his 85th birthday saying he is now in the “last stretch” of his life, but he is sure that God would help him continue his mission.
Benedict, who has looked tired and drawn recently, is one of history’s oldest reigning pontiffs and is already older than his predecessor John Paul II was when he died in 2005. The pope said a Mass yesterday of thanksgiving with German bishops and close aides. Afterwards, children in traditional garb from his native Bavaria danced for him under the frescoes of the Vatican’s Clementine Hall.
Benedict is now the oldest reigning pope since Leo XIII, who died aged 93 in 1903 after reigning for 25 years. On Thursday, he will mark another milestone when he celebrates the seventh anniversary of his election. The pope has looked particularly tired since his return from a gruelling trip to Mexico and Cuba last month, followed by a hectic week of ceremonies leading up to Easter, but he was alert and smiling yesterday.
Benedict’s older brother, Msgr Georg Ratzinger (88), who has often expressed concern for the health of his younger sibling, flew in for the celebrations, which were also attended by some Bavarian politicians. – (Reuters)