Joseph Alois Ratzinger, better known as Benedict XVI, was born in Germany on April 16, 1927. He served as the Roman Catholic Church’s supreme leader and was its bishop. Benedict had an illustrious career as a theologian and the prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith before being elected Pope.
Pope’s Childhood
Ratzinger’s mother worked as a hotel cook, and his father was a police officer. The youngest of three children, he was. His parents, devout Catholics, were opposed to the Nazi government.
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Even worse, he was coerced into joining the Hitler Youth before enlisting in the German army. He was briefly imprisoned during all of this after being once taken prisoner by American troops.
Pope’s theological career
Ratzinger worked hard and achieved accomplishment as a theologian before being elected Pope. In June 1951, he received his priestly ordination. He received his doctorate in theology from the University of Munich in 1953. He was an upper-school theology and dogma teacher.
Because he was a leading candidate, Ratzinger’s election as Pope on the second day of the conclave came as a surprise. Front-runners are rarely chosen, as is reflected in the proverb, “He who enters as a pope goes as a cardinal.”
His long-standing relationship with John Paul and adherence to his predecessor’s principles and teachings appear to have ensured his position among the cardinal electors. Ratzinger graciously accepted his election on April 19, 2005, becoming, at the age of 78, the oldest newly elected Pope since Clement XII, even though he claimed to have prayed not to be picked (1730–40). St. Benedict of Nursia, the patron saint of Europe and the father of Western monasticism, was remembered when he chose the name, Benedict XVI.
Problems During His Pontificate
His pontificate was beset by several difficulties, including a decline in vocations and church attendance, polarising discussions about the church’s future, and the fallout from the scandal involving the church’s handling of numerous cases of priestly sexual abuse, which began in the late 1990s.
The retired Pope was charged in a 2022 study commissioned by the Munich archdiocese with mishandling four incidents of sexual abuse while serving as the archbishop.
Despite without responding to any of these claims, the Pope pleaded with the populace for forgiveness. He became the first pope to step down since Gregory XII in 1415 in 2013, citing his advanced age.
Pope Dies at 95
Francis led the customary vespers service before New Year’s Day in Saint Peter’s Basilica. “We are affected as we recollect him as such a magnificent person, so generous, and we feel such thanks in our hearts, thankfulness to god for giving him to the church and the world,” Francis said.
Thank him for all he did for others, but especially for his example of faith and prayer, especially during his latter years. Francis said, “Only God understands the worth of his sacrifices for the benefit of the church.
At 95, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away in Monastero Mater Ecclesiae, Vatican City. Vatican News reported that the former Pope’s body was kept in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican for the faithful to bid farewell. As per the wish of Pope Emeritus, his funeral was held “simply.”