The photo with Ratzinger’s “black eye”

The rumors about the alleged aggravation of his condition had been shut down by the publication of a photo that portrayed the Pope emeritus during his afternoon walk in the Vatican gardens.

Now another photo went public of Pope Benedict XVI, who has no problem to show his fragility linked to his age and who still continues to receive visits: Stefan Oster, the bishop of Passau, posted it on Facebook on Thursday 26 October, together with the author Peter Seewald - the journalist who wrote four books-interviews with Ratzinger – as he presented the pope with a book. In the picture, we see Benedict XVI carrying on his face the sign of a recent fall.

In reporting the news, Monsignor Oster explained that the visible bruise under Joseph Ratzinger’s right eye was caused by a fall at home a week ago. This is the caption that accompanied the photos of the meeting (which was translated and posted on Facebook by Vik Van Brantegem, former assistant to the Press Office of the Holy See) “ What a heartfelt encounter today in Rome with our beloved Father emeritus Benedict XVI! Together with the well-known journalist Peter Seewald, I had the honor to present him with a wonderful new book: a volume that our diocese has published together with Seewald. Title: “Benedict XVI - The German Pope”. Great images, many short, deep texts on great themes and a brief summary of his life. Although Pope Benedict has a black eye after a fall last week, he has met us in health, good shape, full of spirit and with many small and great memories of people from his and our diocese. He sends his greetings to all of us and has given us all his blessing ”.

Just over a month ago, Francis was left with a black, in his case, left eye. During the last day of his trip to Colombia, in the city of Cartagena, while he was on the pope mobile, this time prepared on site with a high glass separating the Pope’s side from the driver’s cabin, (different from the one usually used by the Pope), Francis slammed on that windshield after a sudden braking to avoid a person who had thrown himself in front of the vehicle. The result was a hematoma visible for several days after on Bergoglio’s face.