Pope Benedict XVI. Biography. International Association for the Protection of the Heritage of Benedict XVI ● Papst Press Nothing human is alien

Pope Benedict XVI announced that he will leave the throne on February 28 for health reasons.

The pontiff announced this in Latin during a meeting in the Vatican. This information was later confirmed to the press by a representative of the Holy See.

BBC Rome correspondent Alan Johnston reports that the news of the pope's impending abdication took the Vatican by surprise: as it turned out, even his closest aides did not know about it.

“Having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the conviction that my strength, due to my advanced age, is no longer sufficient to properly fulfill the ministry of St. Peter,” said Benedict XVI.

It is known from the history of the papacy that the last time the pontiff announced his voluntary abdication was almost 600 years ago: in 1415, Gregory XII did the same.

The newspaper La Stampa quotes the reaction of Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti: "I am shocked by this unexpected news."

Pope Benedict XVI

Reuters has found out that elections for the new head of the Roman Catholic Church will be held before the end of March this year.

Experts believe that several cardinals will lay claim to the vacated papal throne, but it is difficult to single out an obvious successor to Benedict XVI among them.

Meanwhile, bookmaker Paddy Power has started taking bets on who will become the new dad.

Cardinal Peter Turkson from Ghana is considered the favorite among bookmakers: bets on him are accepted with odds of 9 to 4.

He led the Roman Catholic Church at the age of 78, becoming one of the oldest popes in history.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THIS?

Comments in the BBC Russian Service forums:

• It would be strange if he did not leave, after all the revealed sex crimes of Catholic clergy [...] The Catholic Church is sharply losing parishioners. His renunciation is the act of an honest man (Stas)
• The next Pope, in my opinion, is younger and more physically active. But in general, the Vatican’s policy will remain conservative, given the state of the Holy College (Yuri Baksalov)
• But when the Pope retires, who will he be? Not back as a cardinal. And by whom? An honorary Vatican pensioner? In general, what does the regulation say about this? (Another Lyudmila)
• Personally, I’m not interested in this at all, I’m Orthodox, I go away and happily... (Alexander AlrM)

According to Benedict XVI, he himself never felt the desire to become pope.

Benedict XVI was born in Germany in 1927; in his youth he was a member of the Nazi youth organization "Hitler Youth".

During World War II he served in an air defense unit in Munich.

Before his election as pope, Cardinal Ratzinger actively opposed Turkey's admission to the European Union.

For 24 years, Cardinal Ratzinger headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, which in the Middle Ages was called the Holy Inquisition.

Consistently opposes abortion and the ordination of women, and considers homosexuality a sin.

In church circles, Benedict XVI enjoys a reputation as an intellectual and a "cautious realist."

He became the first German pope in 1000 years. There were at least three German popes in the 11th century.

Benedict XVI speaks ten languages ​​and plays the piano. His favorite composer is Beethoven.

Late last year Benedict XVI started to use the microblogging site Twitter and has since sent his messages there in eight languages.

Pope Benedict XVI's announcement of his upcoming abdication came as a surprise not only to millions of Catholics around the world, but also to the papal circle.

Popes who abdicated the throne

• Pope Silverius (536 - 537). He was forcibly deposed in March 537 and abdicated on November 11. After a trial initiated at the direction of Empress Theodora, the pope was accused of political treason. Died on December 2, 537 - either strangled or starved to death.
• Saint Celestine V (5 July - 13 December 1294). At the time of his election, the pope was 80 years old. He died a year and a half later in the fortress where his successor, Boniface VIII, imprisoned him.
• Gregory XII (1406 - 1415). After his abdication, Gregory XII retained the title of cardinal and retired to Ancona, where he died two years after the council.

"Of course, you now have many questions, but we need a few days to understand how and what to do next. This announcement is a big surprise for all of us," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said.

“If the pope himself, after deep reflection, came to the conclusion that he no longer had the strength to serve, then I have the utmost respect for his decision. He remains one of the most significant religious thinkers of our time,” the German Chancellor said Angela Merkel.

"On behalf of all Americans, Michelle and I want to express our gratitude to His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. The Church plays an important role in America and around the world. I wish all the best to all those who gather at the Vatican to elect his successor," said US President Barack Obama.

“Pope Benedict worked tirelessly to improve relations between Britain and the Holy See,” said British Prime Minister David Cameron.

“The change of pontiff gives no reason to predict any deterioration in relations between our churches,” a representative of the Moscow Russian Patriarchate said in an interview with the Izvestia newspaper. Orthodox Church Archpriest Dmitry Sizonenko.

“It is unprecedented for our time that a pope is retiring due to physical infirmity, and that a successor will be elected and ascend to the throne during the lifetime of his predecessor,” he believes Chief Editor Italian newspaper La Reppublica Ezio Mauro.

Text of the statement

Dear brothers,

I have called you to this consistory not only for the sake of three canonizations, but also to inform you of a decision of great importance for the life of the Church.

Having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I came to the conviction that my strength, due to my advanced age, was no longer sufficient to properly fulfill the ministry of St. Peter.

I am well aware that this service, due to its spiritual essence, must be fulfilled not only by deeds and words, but no less by suffering and prayer.

However, in today's world, subject to rapid change and agitated by questions of greatest importance to the life of faith, to steer the boat of St. Peter and proclaim the Gospel requires energy of both body and spirit, and this energy has been so diminished in recent months that I am forced to admit my inability to properly perform the ministry entrusted to me.

Therefore, well aware of the seriousness of this act, I declare with complete freedom that I renounce the ministry of the Bishop of Rome, Successor of St. Peter, entrusted to me by the cardinals on April 19, 2005, so that from February 28, 2013, from 20 o'clock, the See of Rome, See of St. Peter's, will be vacant, and those who have the corresponding powers will have to convene a conclave to elect a new Pope.

Dear brothers, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the love and work through which you have carried with me the burden of my ministry, and I ask forgiveness for all my shortcomings.

Let us now entrust the Holy Church to the care of her Supreme Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, and let us pray to his holy Mother, the Virgin Mary, that she may accompany with her maternal goodness the Fathers of the Cardinals in the election of a new Pope.

As for me, I will continue to serve with all my heart the Holy Mother Church with a life devoted to prayer.

Age of Benedict XVI

Benedict XVI was elected pope in 2005, when he was 78 years old. He became one of the oldest cardinals in history to ascend to the Holy See.

When the previous Pope John Paul II died, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was already considering retiring from church affairs. According to him, he did not want to become a dad.

However, it was he who was then chosen by other Vatican cardinals. If anyone expected from his papacy a smooth and peaceful transition to a new era in the life of the Catholic Church, then these optimists were disappointed.

Benedict XVI took the helm of the world's largest Christian denomination as storm clouds gathered over the scandal surrounding the sexual exploitation of children by priests. But this was not the only challenge that the rapidly changing world posed to this ancient institution.

The flow of allegations, lawsuits and official reports of clergy sexual abuse was particularly intense in 2009-2010. Perhaps this theme became decisive for the papacy of Benedict XVI.

The most damning allegations were that local bishops - and sometimes the Vatican - took part in covering up many of these facts, allowing pedophile priests to get away with it.

Some church leaders tried to dismiss these statements as slander against the church. However, the pope said that one cannot shirk responsibility and pointed to “sins within the church.” They apologized to victims, made it clear that such facts should be made public immediately, and established a process for expedited defrocking of those found guilty of sexual misconduct.

Many recalled to the pontiff his childhood in Nazi Germany.

He was six years old when the Nazis came to power. In 1941, he joined the Hitler Youth and even served in an anti-aircraft battalion, but shortly before the defeat of the Nazis he became a deserter.

Ratzinger turned to Catholicism after the war. In 1960, he spoke at the Second Vatican Council on the need to modernize and reform the Catholic Church.

However, the wave of protests that swept across Europe in 1968 forced Ratzinger to abandon theological liberalism.

In 1981, John Paul II appointed Cardinal Ratzinger to lead the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith - the former Holy Inquisition - allowing him to exert significant influence on church life.

Ratzinger continued the ideas of John Paul II. He spoke out against abortion, homosexuality, feminism and even rock music and the Harry Potter books. He viewed Catholicism as the only correct faith, considering all others inferior.

It was Ratzinger, as senior cardinal, who presided over the funeral of John Paul II. When white smoke over the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican announced the election of a 78-year-old German as the new Pope Benedict XVI, many were not surprised.

But the shy, not always self-confident Ratzinger lacked the charm and charisma of his predecessor.

At the same time, they both shared the view that the church must resist rampant individualism and consumerism.

In 2006, during a lecture in Germany, the pope cited criticism of Islam dating back to the 14th century. This sparked mass protests in some Muslim countries. As a result, the pontiff had to apologize and say that these statements did not reflect his own views.

He also had to apologize for the behavior of Catholic pedophile priests in the United States and other countries.

Ratzinger saw the main goal of his life in the fight against the weakening of faith within the church itself and its marginalization in public life.

The reign of Benedict XVI can be called transitional: he tried to combine the religious principles inherited from past generations with the new demands that secular society made on the church. At the same time, he firmly believed that for long-term service to society, the Catholic faith must be maintained in its original purity. Even if this leads to a reduction in the flock.

Place of Birth. Education. Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born in the Bavarian city of Marktl am Inn (Germany). He became the third and youngest child in the family of Gendarmerie Commissioner Joseph Ratzinger and Maria Ratzinger. With the outbreak of World War II, he joined the ranks of the Hitler Youth. At the end of the war he was called up to military service to the air defense support unit in Munich. Ratzinger did not have to take part in the battles. When American troops approached, he deserted and returned home, but was soon arrested. He spent several months in a prisoner of war camp.

He received his higher education in theology and philosophy in 1946-1951. at the University of Munich.

Clergy. In June 1951 he was ordained a priest. In 1953 he defended his dissertation on the legacy of St. Augustine and became one of the best theologians in Germany. Since 1959 he taught at the Department of Theology at the University of Bonn.

In 1972, in opposition to anti-clerical publications, he founded the theological journal Communio, which still exists.

On November 25, 1981, he headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (aka the Holy Inquisition, renamed in 1908 by Pope Pius X).

Pontificate. On April 19, 2005, he was elected Pope (265th in a row). He chose the name Benedict XVI.

He became the oldest pope to be elected since Pope Clement XII (elected in 1730). Benedict XVI is also the first Pope since Pope Paul IV (16th century) to be elected while dean of the College of Cardinals. In addition, Pope Benedict XVI is the first cardinal-bishop elected to the papacy since Pius VIII, and also the first cardinal since Benedict XIII to hold the rank of cardinal for a long time (28 years) before being elected to the papacy.

Benedict XVI speaks fluent German, Italian, Latin, English and Spanish. Reads texts in ancient Greek and Hebrew.

In 2007, Benedict XVI celebrated his 80th birthday. In honor of the anniversary, one of the German radio stations broadcast its program in Latin. And in the pontiff’s homeland, in the house where he was born, a museum was opened. In the small Bavarian town where the Pope was born, guests from all over the world were treated to family heirlooms, theological works of Joseph Ratzinger and numerous souvenirs. The town's pubs served anniversary beer, and coffee shops sold special "papal" chocolate.

Renunciation. In February 2013, Pope Benedict XVI voluntarily abdicated the throne. On March 13, 2013, a conclave of cardinals elected Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new Pope, who chose the name . It was decided to secure the title of honorary Pope of Rome for Benedict XVI.

Benedict XVI abdicated the throne - this news recently stunned the religious world, and especially Catholics. The last time a Pope abdicated the throne occurred several centuries ago. Usually they replaced each other due to death. Such an extraordinary act of the holy man attached to him the influence of not only the Catholic community, but also representatives of other faiths, as well as the media around the world.

The early years of the Pope

In the small village of Marktl am Inn, on the eve of Easter, Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born into the family of a gendarme on April 16, 1927 - this is the real name that Benedict XVI had. He was the youngest child in the family. When the child was 5 years old, the family moved to the city of Auschau, which is located in the picturesque Alpine mountains. At the age of 10, Joseph was a student at the classical gymnasium in the city of Traunstein. His father chose this gymnasium for him because he was one of the supporters of National Socialism. At the age of fourteen, Joseph joined the ranks of the fascist organization Hitler Youth. Many historians argue that the entry into fascist organization at that time it was a prerequisite for all boys who had reached this age.

Youth years

Joseph Alois Ratzinger's work as a church minister began in 1939, at which time he became a student at the pre-seminary. During the Second World War, he happened to get into the youth air defense unit as an assistant. He studied in the city of Munich at the Maximilian Gymnasium. At the age of 17, Joseph was enlisted in the Austrian region. This moment Pope Benedict XVI does not like to remember much in his biography. Military service did not suit him, and in 1945 he deserted. These were difficult years for the young man; after escaping from the army, he returned to the city of Traunstein. At that time, the headquarters of the American army was located in his parents' house. Joseph Ratzinger was arrested and then sent to a prison camp. A few months later he was released.

In 1946-1951 Joseph Ratzinger received higher education at the Theological Institute with a specialization in theology and philosophy. In 1951, Benedict 16, about whom a film was made not so long ago, received holy orders. In Freising Cathedral, Joseph Ratzinger was ordained a priest by Cardinal Michael Faulhaber, who was the archbishop. Then in 1953 Joseph Ratzinger wrote a theological work at the University of Munich. As a result of this work, he went down in German history as the country's best theologian.

The Pope's Mature Years

In 1972, Ratzinger worked as a teacher of theology at the Bonn University. educational institution. In 1966 he is the best expert on dogmatic theology in Tübingen. Then, in 1972, Ratzinger became one of the founders of the famous magazine Communio, whose name translates as “communion.” This magazine about theology and culture is still published today. In the spring of 1977, Joseph Ratzinger was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising. On June 27, he was appointed to the post of cardinal by Pope Paul VI. In 1980, the cardinal was appointed head of the Council for the Laity. Subsequently, Pope Paul VI invited him to become head of the Congregation for Catholic Education.

Church service

If Joseph Ratzinger had taken this post, this could have led to his departure from the Munich see and there would have been a need to move to the Vatican. Therefore, Joseph Ratzinger refused the offered position of leader of the Congregation. In 1981, he agreed to be appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican department and then moved to the Vatican. At the same time, he refuses to pastor.

In 1993, the Vatican appointed Joseph Ratzinger as Bishop of Velletri-Segni. In 2000 he became Bishop of Osti. Then, in 2002, he assumed the position of Dean of the College of Cardinals. Having become a cardinal, he joins the ranks of the council of the Ecclesia Dei. Thus, from that time on, he has been the chief theologian in the Vatican, and therefore his views on major issues affecting society appear to be the position of the Vatican. Ratzinger opposed abortion, which is why it is unacceptable in the Vatican.

Education

The activities carried out by Benedict XVI indicate that he is a highly educated person. He is fluent in several languages: German, English, Italian, Spanish, Ancient Greek and Hebrew. The Pope is also the author of numerous works: “Truth and Tolerance”, “God and Peace” and others. He is the author of Introduction to Christianity, which has become an international bestseller.

He is distinguished by his conservative views and thinking. He condemns homosexual relations, same-sex marriage, divorce, and cloning. Among other things, he is an opponent of feminism. He believes that feminism undermines the foundations of marriage and family, as well as God-given differences between the stronger and weaker sex. Conservative views can be read in his books. In them he examines the conservative course of the formation of the Church; he is also dissatisfied with the confusion different cultures, which take place in some Western countries, he believes that modern culture is contrary to religion and moral standards.

Pope

The Pope in Germany was given the nickname Panzerkardinal, which means “cardinal-battleship”; he is distinguished by his intolerance of liberalism in the Catholic Church. But at the same time, Germany, like other countries, joyfully learned the news of the appointment of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope. On May 7, 2005, he, who is also the Bishop of Rome, solemnly assumed the see of the capital's diocese. In 2013, the Pope announced that he wanted to leave his post due to the fact that he was old.

Joseph Ratzinger, like his other predecessor, the Pope, supports the existing course and policy, which is aimed at the peaceful coexistence of the Catholic Church and other faiths. In turn, Benedict XVI has always opposed armed conflicts around the world, in defense of civilians.

Scandalous Pope, Transitional Pope, Nazi Pope and “cat lover” - this is how Pope Benedict XVI, who took the throne at the age of 78, was called. He became the second pontiff in history to renounce the papacy of his own free will. His biography and turbulent papacy are surrounded by a lot of scandals.

During the eight years of his pontificate, the Catholic Church experienced a series of pedophile revelations, found itself on the verge of conflict with the Muslim world and encountered a truly global sensation - the voluntary abdication of the Holy See. What is Pope Benedict XVI remembered for, whose years of reign coincided with a crisis of civilization and faith, the world community?

Youth

In the world, Joseph Alois Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, was born into the family of a German gendarme on April 16, 1927 in German Bavaria, in a town called Marktl am Inn. The youngest of three children, named after his father, at the age of two he and his family moved to the city of Auschau, in the picturesque Alps. His father, not a fanatic of National Socialism, chose a classical gymnasium in Traunstein for his son’s education. After graduation, Joseph enters the theological pre-seminary.

Nazi past

A controversial and contradictory fact in the biography of the future Pope is considered to be his entry into the youth paramilitary National Socialist organization “Hitler Youth”. Benedict XVI does not hide this fact and explains it with the advice of his mathematics teacher, who was a Nazi, but nevertheless a decent man. Attending meetings of this organization and membership in it gave a fourteen-year-old teenager grounds for a significant reduction in tuition fees.

Joseph Ratzinger did not hide, but was not proud of the fact that in 1943, as part of an auxiliary unit of anti-aircraft troops, he defended the BMW aircraft engine plant from attacks by opponents of Nazi Germany. In 1944, he installed anti-tank mines on the Austro-Hungarian border. But at the end of the war, his military biography ended - the young man deserted. After surviving about two months in American captivity, Joseph returned to Bavaria, where he graduated from theological seminary.

The future Pope's mature years

The future Pope received his higher education, specializing in theology and philosophy, at the Theological Institute at the University of Munich from 1946 to 1951. Immediately after this, the Archbishop of Freising and Munich, Cardinal Michael Faulbacher, ordained Joseph to the priesthood. At the same university he will defend his dissertation in theology. "People and Home in Augustine's Ecclesiology" will include the then simple priest in the list of the best theologians in Germany.

In 1959, Joseph began teaching at the University of Bonn, and ten years later he became a leading expert on theological dogmas at the University of Tübinham.

From a simple clergyman to the Pope

In 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed Joseph cardinal and archbishop of Munich and Freising. His pastorate in Germany continued until 1981, which he regretfully left and moved to Rome. Once in the Vatican, he holds the position of prefect of the ideological department of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with a bishopric in small Velletri-Segni.

After going through several steps career ladder clergyman, since 2002, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a member of the College of Cardinals and the Ecclesia Dei commission, has become the Vatican’s chief theologian, voicing its official position.

New Pope

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became the 265th Pope of Rome at the age of 78 on April 19, 2005, after which he took the name Benedict XVI (“Blessed One”), honoring the memory of St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547) and Pope Benedict XV (1854). -1922). His candidacy was supported by the College of Cardinals for the fourth time. He himself commented on his election very modestly, saying that he did not ask for this and hoped to retire modestly. He made his wish come true in 2013, voluntarily leaving the post of pontiff.

For the first time in a thousand years, a German from Bavaria, and not an Italian, became Pope. For the second time in the history of the pontificate, the papal throne was occupied by a person of such advanced age (the first was in 1730 by Pope Clement XII, the same age as Benedict XVI).

Conservative Cardinal

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was famous as a staunch conservative, a strong opponent of abortion and homosexual relations, divorce and genetic cloning. He was an active opponent of feminism, because he believed that it undermines family and marriage and destroys the God-given differences between women and men. His strong statements against euthanasia, stem cell research and the ordination of women have gained him both supporters and opponents.

Muslims and the Pontiff

While still studying at the University of Regensburg (2006), Benedict XVI almost became a target of terrorists. The vision of the situation regarding Emperor Manuel II almost led to tragedy. By quoting the Byzantine king on the subject of Muhammad's words to spread the faith with the sword, the pontiff caused a wave of indignation in Muslim circles.

Pakistan and India expressed criticism of the Pope, and al-Qaeda announced its desire for reprisals. The conflict was quelled when the Pope explained that the quote was intended to emphasize the unreasonableness of the holy war. The terrorist organization reneged on its promises, and the pontiff called on the world to abandon the reprisal against Saddam Hussein and not to invade Iranian territory.

Pedophilia scandal

While still a cardinal, Benedict XVI initiated changes to canonical church law: the statute of limitations for sexual crimes was abolished, the list of crimes against children and abuse of them was expanded, and the procedure for defrocking for such actions was simplified. But this did not save the church from pedophile scandals.

The largest of them broke out in 2010, when a special commission began an investigation into Irish priests accused of pedophilia. Benedict XVI sent a letter to Ireland, where he condemned their actions and expressed his idea that the criminals must answer to people, to the law, and to God. But victims of violence accused the latter of obstructing the investigation of the cases and filed a lawsuit at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.

In 2012, Gianluigi Nuzzi’s book “His Holiness” was published, based on the correspondence of the Pope’s secretary Paolo Gabriele. The book describes the behind-the-scenes struggles and intrigues in the Catholic Church. As a result of this exposure, Claudio Sciarpeletti (programmer of the Vatican Secretariat of State) and Paolo Gabriele were held accountable to the law, although the Pontiff publicly pardoned them.

Dad is a writer

The author of many theosophical works is Benedict XVI (gesammelte schriften, his impressive collection of works). He was a highly educated man, fluent in ten languages. He also wrote a fiction novel, namely the book “Joseph and Chico,” where the story about the life stages of the future pontiff comes from the perspective of a neighbor’s cat.

The book “Introduction to Christianity” is still a worldwide bestseller and has been translated into dozens of languages ​​around the world. Intransigence with liberalism in the bosom of the Church, the position of strict Catholic traditionalism, defending one’s convictions - these are the qualities of the person that Benedict XVI is. “The enemies are not outside,” Dad emphasizes. By the way, it was this phrase that became the reason to give the clergyman the nickname Panzerkardinal, which means “cardinal-battleship.” He received another nickname, already as pontiff, for defending the orthodox views of the church - “Rottweiler of God.”

Nothing human is alien

Benedict XVI is a loyal supporter and fan of the Bayern Munich football club. He continues to support the club team and the German national football team and could even become an honorary member of Bayern if he accepted the offer from the club president. He actively promoted the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, but his team did not win, unfortunately for the Pope.

The Pontiff plays the piano well. He prefers the works of Mozart and speaks unflatteringly of modern pop culture. In 2009, he even recorded an album of prayer songs accompanied by classical music. Since the time of his cardinalship, his love for cats, especially homeless ones, has also been preserved.

Worldwide upheaval - voluntary renunciation

Benedict XVI will be remembered by the church, the laity and the public for his unprecedented voluntary departure. At the consistory on February 11, 2013 for the canonization of the martyrs of Otranto, the Pope announced his voluntary resignation, his speech was broadcast by Vatican Radio. From that moment on, like a snowball, versions swarmed about the true reasons for this act. After all, he became the first Pope to resign in six hundred years, since Gregory VII in 1415.

The pontiff himself explained his unconventional decision by age and fatigue. As a representative of the world community, professor theologian A. I. Osipov, comments on the crisis of faith, Benedict XVI is too conservative, and such a position does not fit in with the liberalization of public consciousness.

What undermined the health of 86-year-old Benedict XVI, because while in office, he suffered one heart attack. Age or the scandals that befell his reign? The world will probably learn more from the book the Pope is writing in retirement.

After dad

Benedict XVI retains the name and title "Pope Emeritus". In retirement, he lives in a former monastery in the Vatican gardens, devoting all his time to his favorite reading and writing books. In 2016, this author’s fourth book, “Last Conversations,” was published, written in collaboration with German journalist Peter Seewald. This is the only memoir in which a former Pope talks about his pontificate.

Intelligence and logic, supported by the high efficiency and perseverance inherent in the German nation - this is what Benedict XVI will be remembered by his descendants. An avid Bible student, writer and excellent teacher, the Pope remains intellectually alert and physically vigorous even today, despite his advanced age.

(Joseph Ratzinger, Ratzinger, Joseph Alois) (b. 1927) – 265th Pope.

Born on April 16, 1927 in the Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn. One of three children of policeman Joseph Ratzinger and Maria Paintner, who worked as a cook in a hotel before her marriage. The parents of the future Pope were staunch Catholics who had a negative attitude towards National Socialism, and one of his close relatives was a priest and a member of the German Parliament (Reichstag). In 1932, when the Nazis came to power in Germany, the family moved to the border town of Auschau am Inn. In 1937 they settled again in a new place, near Traunstein. There J. Ratzinger entered a classical gymnasium, where he began to study Latin and Greek, and two years later he became a student at a theological seminary, taking the first steps in his spiritual career.

Despite the fact that in his youth the future pontiff spent some time in the ranks of the Hitler Youth and, like everyone subject to demobilization, was called up to serve in the Wehrmacht in 1944, he deserted from the army at the first opportunity (in April-early May 1945). After spending some time in a prisoner of war camp, he returned to Traunstein in June 1945, and in November 1945 began studying at the seminary.

In 1947, Ratzinger entered the Georgianum (Herzogliches Georgianum), a theological institute at the University of Munich.

In June 1951, he was ordained a priest in Freising and, as parish vicar, taught lessons in the law of God at school. Apparently, it was then that he developed the ability to simply and clearly present complex theological issues and the skills of a future brilliant theologian were laid.

In 1951–1952 – teacher at the Higher School of Philosophy and Theology in Freising; 1952–1959 – lecturer at the University of Bonn.

In 1953 he wrote one of his significant works, The people and the house of God in Augustine's ecclesiology on the Church(Volk und Haus Gottes in Augustins Lehre von der Kirche).

Ratzinger devoted his doctoral dissertation to the theology of the history of St. Bonaventure (1953).

He taught theology at the department of theology at the University of Bonn (1959–1969), in Münster (1963–1966) and Tübingen (1966–1969), where he tried to oppose the radical left-wing student movement without much success.

As a recognized theologian and advisor to Cardinal Joseph Frings, he took an active part in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965).

From 1969 to 1977, he was vice-rector and professor of dogma and history (development) of dogma at the University of Regensburg. During the same period he participated in the international theological commission of the Vatican.

In 1981 he was appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (), which is charged with monitoring the purity of Catholic doctrine. In this position, Ratzinger gained fame as one of the most influential ideologists of the church, a conservative and a consistent opponent of the modernization of theology.

Ratzinger repeatedly opposed various “innovations” in the affairs of the Church, for example, the abolition of celibacy among Catholic priests, the ordination of women and “radical feminism” as such. He did not hide his regret about the change in the rite of the Catholic liturgy (the so-called Vatican Mass), which since 1969 has been required to be served at national languages, and not in Latin, like the pre-reform Tridentine (). Together with Pope John Paul II, Ratzinger tried to strengthen internal church discipline and the authority of the Catholic Church. As prefect of the congregation, he issued a number of documents emphasizing his rejection of experimentation in doctrine, as well as his attitude to matters of secular life that contradict the dogmas of the Church, in particular: Declaration on Masonic Societies (1983); Instructions on Christian Freedom (Libertatis conscientia, 1986); about the problems of homosexuality and sexual ethics, instructions on the protection of life Donum vitae(1987); on the form of Christian meditation (1989); instructions on the calling of a theologian in the Church Donum veritatis(1990); message on the role of the Church-community Communionis concept(1992); message about communion for divorced people Annus Internationalis Familiae(1994), etc.

In 2002, he became dean of the College of Cardinals (or College of Cardinals) - an advisory body under the Pope that takes power during the period when the papal throne is free and plays a special role in the election of a new pope.

After the death of John Paul II on April 2, 2005, the conclave, which began its meetings on April 18, named Joseph Ratzinger the new pope under the name Benedict XVI the very next day (April 19).

Benedict XVI continued to develop the line of the previous pontificate and, despite the expectations of the conservative part of the believers, declared his adherence to the decisions of the Second Vatican Council. He is a supporter of interfaith and interreligious dialogue, taking the position of Christian ecumenism (the desire initiated by the Catholic Church to unite existing religious denominations on the basis of the argument about the uniqueness and indivisibility of the Church (according to the Nicene Creed).

Another reason for the possibility of rapprochement between religious confessions was atheism, the spread of which Benedict XVI considered the cause of many problems of modern society. It was on this basis that a rapprochement between the Vatican and the Moscow Patriarchate began under him. In one of his speeches, Benedict XVI emphasized: “... the Catholic Church boldly meets other faiths and religions. Genuine service to the cause of ecumenism is justified by a strong faith - the faith itself, and not this or that interpretation of it. Our ecumenical problems, in particular with the Orthodox, are not caused by questions of faith, but by our historical and cultural differences.” However, for their part, Catholic ecumenists are ready for compromises and unions, provided they recognize the primacy of the Roman Pontiff.

Joseph Ratzinger speaks 10 languages ​​and has 8 doctorates in theology and philosophy. His bibliography includes several hundred publications, a number of which have been translated into many languages ​​of the world. His research papers refer primarily to broadly understood dogmatic and fundamental theology. There are also publications on liturgics, moral theology, social theology, theology of history, where he is close to the concepts of H.W. von Balthasar, I. Congar, A. de Lubac and other representatives of the “new theology”.

In February 2013, Benedict XVI decided to resign his powers and leave the Papal throne. The pontiff motivated his decision by his advanced age and state of health.

Some of the writings of Pope Benedict XVI: Episcopate and Primate, 1961 (part 2); Introduction to Christianity (1968); On the future of ecumenism(1976); Faith Report (1985); Church, ecumenism and politics (1987); The nature and tasks of theology, 1993;Salt of the earth (1997); Heaven and earth (1997); John Paul II. Twenty years in history (1998); God and the world (2001); Faith, truth, tolerance (2003); Without roots (2004).