Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI died on Saturday, according to the Vatican’s spokesman, Matteo Bruni, glamsquad reports.
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Pope Benedict was 95 years old when he died. He had suffered a sudden deterioration in his health as a result of his age.
Birth
On April 16, 1927, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in Marktl, Southeastern Germany, near the Austrian border. His early years were shaped by both World War II and his faith.
Served in the German military
In 1943, while still in seminary, he was drafted into the German army. Ratzinger served in an anti-aircraft unit for two years. He later deserted and was captured by the US military.
Ordination as a priest
Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber of Munich ordained Ratzinger on June 29, 1951, in Freising.
Papacy
At the age of 78, Benedict XVI was elected as the 265th Pope. Since Pope Clement XII, he was the oldest person to be elected Pope (1730–1740).
The selection of a name
Ratzinger chose the name “Benedict,” which comes from the Latin word for “blessed,” to honor both Benedict XV and Benedict of Nursia.
Resignation
On February 28, 2013, Pope Benedict announced his resignation as the Roman Catholic Church’s leader due to his advanced age, becoming the first pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.