VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI said he is living out his old age calmly and with courage, thanks to the help of his elder brother, Vatican Radio reported Friday.
Benedict mused aloud about growing old at a ceremony Thursday to make his brother, Georg Ratzinger, an honorary citizen of Castel Gandolfo, the lakeside town near Rome that hosts the papal summer residence.
Benedict is 81, and Georg, who is a priest in Germany, is 84.
“We have reached the last stage of our life, old age,” Vatican Radio quoted the pope as saying. “The days to live are progressively growing fewer. But even in this stage, my brother helps me to accept the weight of every day with serenity, humility and with courage.”
The brothers recently vacationed together in the Italian Alps. Georg Ratzinger is a former choirmaster who is now nearly blind. A piano was set up for the music-loving brothers in the seminary where they stayed in the Alpine town of Bressanone.
At the ceremony, Benedict described Georg as “not only a companion, but also a trustworthy guide, an orientation and a reference point.”
“He has always showed me the road to take, even in difficult situations,” the pope said, without elaborating.
Benedict has shown strong stamina for his age, flying to Australia on a pilgrimage earlier this summer. In September, his schedule includes a day trip to Sardinia and a four-day pilgrimage to Paris and Lourdes, France.
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