Pope Benedict born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. He became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years citing old age as his reason for retiring. Benedict was born in Markti, Bavaria,
Germany, his father was a police in Hitler’s army. He in his youth joined the German army and towards the end of the war he deserted and fled. After the war ended he pursued his c... morePope Benedict born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. He became the first pontiff to step down in 600 years citing old age as his reason for retiring. Benedict was born in Markti, Bavaria,
Germany, his father was a police in Hitler’s army. He in his youth joined the German army and towards the end of the war he deserted and fled. After the war ended he pursued his career and was ordained in 1951 soon after he embarked on an academic career attaining a PhD in theology and became a full professor and established theologian by the time he was 31. After years of teaching, Benedict was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising. His writings defended traditional Catholic doctrine; he also strengthened the relationship between church and art. He was often referred as the main intellectual force in the church since the mid 1980.
