He was the head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013, stepping down for health reasons after less than eight years in charge. He claimed he no longer possessed the physical or mental strength to lead the church. Pope Benedict resigned, becoming the first Pope to do so since 1415. Pope Francis frequently paid him visits at his residence in the Master Ecclesiae monastery within the Vatican. On Wednesday, Pope Francis asked those present at his final Vatican audience of the year to “pray a special prayer for Pope Emeritus Benedict,” whom he warned was in critical condition. On Saturday morning, the Vatican announced the death of Pope Benedict XVI. He was born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany and was 78 years old when he was elected Pope in 2005, making him one of the oldest men to hold the position. Prior to his election, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger led the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog for 24 years, earning the moniker “God’s Rottweiler” for his conservative theological views.
