The late pope Benedict XVI resigned in 2013 mainly because of years of insomnia, according to a media report.
The pope emeritus, as he was known after he resigned, wrote this to his biographer Peter Seewald in a letter shortly before his death at the end of 2022.
In the letter, which was made available to the German news magazine Focus, the "central motive" for the resignation "was the insomnia that had accompanied me continuously since the World Youth Day in Cologne."
According to the report, the Bavarian-born priest had had sleeping problems since 2005.
The medicines he was prescribed initially worked, but soon "reached their limits" and were less and less able to guarantee that he could fulfil his duties as head of the Catholic Church, the letter said.
According to the report, an accident occurred during a trip to Mexico and Cuba in March 2012, in which Benedict injured himself. After that, Benedict said he realised that he was no longer in condition to remain pope and decided to give up his pontificate.
Benedict resigned on February 28, 2013 and Francis was chosen as his successor.
After just under a decade as pope emeritus, Benedict died on New Year's Eve 2022.
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