On Wednesday, an Italian newspaper published a letter from retired Pope Benedict which highlights the former Pope's reflection that he is in the last phase of life and currently on a 'pilgrimage towards home.'
In the letter published in the Corriere della Sera, the former pope, who resigned in February 2013, thanked readers for the messages he received as he marks the fifth anniversary of his step down from office.
He wrote, "I am moved that so many readers want to know how I spend my days in this, the last period of the life."
He further adds, "i can only say that with the slow withering of my physical forces, interiorly, I am on a pilgrimage towards home."
Since he resigned in 2013, the 90-year-old former Pope has been living in a former convent close to the Vatican. He has done rare public appearances since then, mostly appearing in major Church celebrations. He also receives friends ever so often in his current residence.
According to friends of the former pope, he still has a sharp mind, but he requires a walker to get around due to his aging.
