Ex-Pope Benedict XVI, the first German-born pope in 500 years, passed away at the age of 95 in the Vatican on Saturday. Previously, his successor Pope Francis warned that Benedict was "very ill."

"With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican," the Vatican announced.

The Vatican added that "the body of the Pope Emeritus will be in Saint Peter's Basilica so the faithful can bid farewell" from Monday, January 2.

Earlier this week, Pope Francis called for prayers to "console [Benedict] and to sustain him in this witness of love for the Church, until the end."

World reacts to former pope's passing

"As a 'German' pope, Benedict XVI was a special church leader for many, not only this country," Scholz wrote on Twitter. "The world has lost a formative figure of the Catholic Church, an argumentative personality and a clever theologian."

"My thoughts are with Pope Francis," Scholz added.

French President Emmanuel Macron said his thoughts were with "the Catholics of France and around the world, bereaved by the departure of His Holiness Benedict XVI, who worked with soul and intelligence for a more fraternal world."

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said he was "saddened" to learn of Benedict's passing, calling his visit to the UK in 2010 "an historic moment for both Catholics and non-Catholics throughout our country."

Italy's far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni called Benedict, "A Christian, a pastor, a theologian: a great man whom history will not forget."

The head of the German Bishops' Conference, Bishop Georg Bätzing, paid tribute to the late pope as an "impressive theologian and an experienced pastor."

"We are mourning a personality who imparted hope and direction to the church even in difficult times."

Bätzing said that the German Catholic Church was particularly grateful for Benedict, "he was born in our country, here was his home, here he helped shape Church life as a theological teacher and a bishop."

German Finance Minister Christian Lindner also commemorated Benedict on Twitter, calling him a "historical figure and a not uncontroversial intellectual."

"But today we commemorate him as a human being," he added.

Who was Pope Benedict?

Benedict — whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger — stepped down from the role in 2013, citing his declining health. He was the first pope to resign since the Middle Ages.

The Bavarian-born Ratzinger was named pope in 2005. He had previously served as the Archbishop of Munich before leaving Germany to head the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) in 1982.

He was a critic of environmental destruction and the "cruelty of capitalism" but was a staunch conservative on religious matters.

However, he also came under fire for the numerous sex abuse scandals that took place in the German Catholic Church under his watch. Earlier this year, he admitted to giving a false statement during an investigation into the abuse scandal.