Former Pope Benedict, 95, who in 2013 became the first pontiff in 600 years to step down, has died, the Vatican said on Saturday. Earlier, his successor Pope Francis had asked the church to pray for him because he was ''very sick.'' In a statement, the Vatican said the former pontiff had suffered a sudden "worsening" of his health. He spent the final hours in "grave" condition. Benedict brought back a strong conservatism to the Roman Catholic Church. His successor, Pope Francis, has set forth a very different perspective.