Insomnia suffered by Pope Benedict XVI was a “central cause” of his resignation in 2013.As he revealed in a letter addressed to his biographer weeks before his death, and revealed this Friday A German weekly.
Pope Emeritus, Died on 31 December at the age of 95sent a letter to his biographer, the German Peter Seewald, on 28 October.
In the letter, revealed by the weekly focusJoseph Ratzinger explains the “main reason” for his resignation as head of the Catholic Church in February 2013 was “Insomnia” who were with him without any hindrance World Youth Day in Cologne”, in August 2005months after succeeded John Paul II.
they are personal physician at that time prescribed “powerful treatment“, which at first allowed him to keep up with the workload.
But according to the Pope Emeritus, the Sleeping pills have finally reached their “limit”.
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How did insomnia affect Benedict XVI?
take sleeping pills must have happened During a trip to Mexico and Cuba in March 2012.
The morning after the first night, Benedict XVI verified that his handkerchief “was”completely covered in bloodaccording to the letter quoted by focus,
The pontiff writes, “I must have hit myself somewhere in the bathroom and I fell.”
The doctor made it so that the wounds were not visible, and a new personal physician insisted after the incident that the German Pope’s sleeping pills be curtailed. Similarly, he advised them to appear only in the morning during foreign visits.
In the letter, Ratzinger claims to be know that these medical restrictions “They were only sustainable for a short time.”
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ESA The verification prompted him to announce his resignation in February 2013.months before World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, which he did not see himself able to “cope”.
in that way, resigned long enough for his successorPope Francis could Follow the trip to Brazil.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who shocked the world with his resignationDied in the monastery of the Vatican Gardens where he lived in retirement.
His papacy was marked by several crises, such as the Vatican scandal in 2012, which exposed a wide-ranging network of corruption in the Vatican, or cases of sexual abuse of minors committed by religious in various countries around the world.
