Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI - Biography

The late Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, was born in Marktl, Germany, on 16 April 1927. At an early age, he discovered the beauty and truth of faith in Christ through his family’s spiritual heritage and their clear witness of goodness and hope, rooted in committed attachment to the Church. On 19 April 2005, he was elected as the 265th Pope, choosing the name “Benedict XVI”.