Benedict XVI plans to pray and write books after abdicating

Pope Benedict XVI will do a lot of prayer, reflection and writing after his abdication, Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said Monday.

“The pontiff has often said that he would like to devote a lot of time to prayer, reflection and perhaps writing books,” he said at a news conference.

Lombardi explained that after his abdication, Benedict XVI will live for some time in the summer residence of the pontiffs near Rome. Next, he is going to go to a monastery on the territory of the Vatican.

Lombardi said that the Pope abdicated the throne only because in recent months he had become very tired from work. “We noticed that he began to get tired,” the Vatican spokesman added.

Today it became known that Pope Benedict XVI has abdicated the throne and will leave him by the end of the month. This decision is due to the fact that, according to the pope, he can no longer fully fulfill his duties due to his old age - he is almost 86 years old.

Interfax