Retired Pope Benedict XVI lucid and stable but still in serious condition at 95

Vatican City — Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is lucid, conscious and stable but his condition remains serious, the Vatican said Thursday, a day after it revealed that the 95-year-old's health had deteriorated recently. A statement from Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said Pope Francis asked for continued prayers "to accompany him in these difficult hours."

On Wednesday Francis revealed that Benedict was "very ill" and went to see Benedict at his home in the Vatican Gardens where he has lived since retiring in 2013, sparking fears that he was near death.

The Vatican later said Benedict's health had deteriorated in recent hours but that the situation was under control as doctors monitored him.

Benedict in 2013 became the first pope in 600 years to retire, and he chose to live out his retirement in seclusion in a converted monastery in the Vatican Gardens. Few had expected his retirement — now in its 10th year — to last longer than his eight-year reign as pope.

Bruni said Thursday that Benedict "managed to rest well last night, is absolutely lucid and conscious and today, while his condition remains grave, the situation at the moment is stable."

"Pope Francis renews the invitation to pray for him and accompany him in these difficult hours," he said.