Vatican City, May 3 (IANS/AKI): Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI is expected to take up residence inside a renovated ex-monastery inside the Vatican, according to sources within the Holy See.

"It is highly probable that Ratzinger will return to the Vatican Thursday," the sources said.

Benedict XVI will retire to apartments in the newly-renovated former monastery together with his private secretary Monsignor Georg Gaenswein.

The 85-year-old Benedict, whose papacy was hit by a series of scandals, abdicated in February, saying he lacked the physical and mental strength to stay in the job.

Since stepping down, Benedict has been staying at the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome while renovation work on his retirement home has been carried out.

He became the first pope to abdicate in some 600 years and was succeeded by Pope Francis, earlier Argentine cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was elected pontiff in a March conclave.

Benedict has said he will live out his retirement "hidden from the world" in the Mater Ecclesiae former monastery located inside the Vatican Gardens.