Guide Note

Pope Benedict XVI is successor to John Paul II as head of the Roman Catholic Church. He was elected on April 19, 2005 and was inaugurated as the 265th pope on April 24, 2005. Born in Germany as Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict worked as an academic theologian, archbishop of Munich, and cardinal before being elected pope. So far he has focused his papacy on the increasing secularization of Europe and North America, calling for a return to Christian values in industrialized nations. He blames the spread of moral relativism, the belief that there is no absolute right or wrong, for this secularization and refers to it as the central problem of the 21st century.

Pope Benedict made a historic Visit to the United States from April 15 to 20, 2008, during which he visited and blessed Ground Zero and lead Mass at the Yankee Stadium.

Fast Facts

1. Born: April 16, 1927
2. Birth name: Joseph Ratzinger
3. Elected as pope April 19, 2005
4. Inaugurated: April 24, 2005
5. The 265th pope
6. Oldest pope at inauguration since Pope Clement XII (1730-40)

Pope Benedict was born April 16, 1927 in Bavaria, Germany, the youngest child of Joseph and Maria Ratzinger. At five years old he went with a group of young children to great the Cardinal Archbishop of Munich during a visit. He was impressed with the Cardinal's clothes and decided he too wanted to be a cardinal.