Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Ratzinger, has an extensive educational background. He studied philosophy and theology at the University of Munich and later obtained his doctorate in theology. He has taught at several universities and was a professor of theology before being appointed a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1977.

POTATO RAVIOLI, a staple food in the land of his birth; BAVARIA, GERMANY

Pope

Cardinal

Archbishop

Bishop

Priest

Deacon

Pope Benedict XVI was actually German.

He was never ordained as a bishop. he was consecrated as an archbishop on May 28, 1977, and elevated to cardinal a month later. He never served as a bishop.

To the central balcony of St. Peter's Basilica to bless the crowds that had gathered in the square below.

There have been 21 Pope Johns.

The short answer is John XVI was an antipope not a pope. John XX never existed.

This long answer is as follows. This discrepency came about is largely due to a series of antipopes by that same name. These antipopes were John (a local who was briefly antipope in 844 AD because a mob effectively put him there. He ended up stepping down without ever being given a papal number. ), John XVI ( who came to power in a palace revoution in 997 AD. He was ousted the following year) , and John XXIII (who became antipope during the closing years of the Great Schism in what was meant to be an attempt to replace two rival Popes currently sitting in Rome and Avignon. The attept failed and only resulted in three Popes sitting. The antipope John XXIII should not be confused with the 20th century Pope John XXIII ).

After John XVI was ousted from power and his chief backer Crescentius II of Rome executed, John XVII was elected Pope in 1003. Instead of calling himself John XVI, to in effect override the antipope John XVI, he called himself John XVII instead , probably to avoid confusion with antipope John XVI. Whatever the reason, he died just a few months after becoming Pope, thus creating a discrepency. The next two Pope Johns, John XVIII and John XIX continued the numbering discrepency.

Then in 1276, a new Pope rose to power who wanted to be called John. He wanted to know what number he should call himself with. Some poor medieval research uncovered not only John XVI but also the antipope John of 844 AD, and apparently accepted them both as popes! The new Pope thus became John XXI. He died the following year, having only obscured the papal numbering of Pope Johns further.

Pope John XXII came and went after a long papacy between 1316 and 1334.

The came the Great Schism of the late 14th/early 15th century. It's a long story that will be glossed over here. Briefly , the Roman Catholic church split up into two camps , one based in Rome, the other in Avignon, France. Each camp had its own Popes - the ones based in France are now regarded as antipopes.

In 1408, an attempt was made to set up a third papacy , independently of Rome and Avignon, to effectively replace both these camps. This camp was based in Pisa. These Pisan Popes are likewise regarded today as antipopes. One of these antipopes was John XXIII, elected by the Pisan authorities in 1410. The whole attempt fell through, and John XXIII fell from power in 1415, having being charged with numerous crimes in the bargain, including murder, debauchery and incest.

That was the last time anyone aspiring to be pope would call himself John, until 1958, when Angelo Roncalli was elected Pope and called himself John XXIII, thus 'overriding' the 15th century Pisan antipope John XXIII.

The end result of all this: there were 21 popes called John, even though the numbering system states 23. This discrepency will always remain, unless two future Popes call themselves John XVI and John XX.

He was consecrated a bishop on September 28, 1958.

Pope John Paul II was the immediate predecessor of Benedict XVI.

Pope Benedict gives up the power of being a to save the Catholic church to continue the goodwill of the Catholic churc. Pope Benedict is not St Peter, he is a servant of Jesus Christ. The Pope needs to make sure that goodwill of the Catholic church must continue by passing on the torch to the next one

he lives in italy. but was born in Germany.

It is to beatify Cardinal John Henry Newman to Blessed John Henry Newman

No, they are all dead. The position of pope is held until the person dies or resigns.

Yes, it was defaced and then destroyed. This is customary when a pope dies or retires and is doe to prevent someone from using the ring to notarize documents after the pope is no longer in office.

No, he did not resign because he is ill. Actually his doctors state he is in pretty good health for a man his age. He resigned because he felt he no longer had the stamina to continue the rather strenuous work involved in leading a Church with over 1.2 billion members.

Like every Pope, he has contributed enormously to the life of the Church by his teaching and leadership, in his case especially in the areas of Sacred Liturgy (his teaching on the nature of the liturgy, his decrees on liturgical discipline, the recent re-translation of the English text of Mass, etc), Catechesis (his encyclical letters addressed to the whole Church, his best-selling books) and moral theology (exposing the relativist morality prevalent in the world today). He is a wise and much-loved shepherd who has had to face vicious attacks from various groups opposed to the values and truths which he proclaims to the world.

Joseph Aloysius Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) was born on April 16, 1927 to Joseph and Maria Ratzinger, in Marktl am Inn, a small village in the state of Bavaria, Germany.

Read more: Pope Benedict XVI Biography - life, childhood, children, name, story, death, history, mother, young, old, information, born

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Pope Benedict is head of the Catholic Church. However he is also head of all of the other Rites/Churches which are in Union with Rome (The Uniates). So he is head of the following "Churches":

Armenian Catholic Church

Byzantine Catholic Church

Chaldean Catholic Church (East Syrian)

Coptic Catholic Church

Ethiopian Catholic Church

Maronite Church

Melkite Catholic Church

Roman Catholic Church

Romanian Catholic Church

Russian Catholic Church

Ruthenian Catholic Church

Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

Ukrania Catholic Church

West Syrian Catholic Church

Each of these have different "Rites" or ceremonies which are carried out. And they are all under their own separate patriarch(s). The pope is both head and patriarch of the Roman Catholic Church or the Western Rite.

For a list of "Who's Who" and who isn't in union with Rome etc read this:

http://www.archdiocesesantafe.org/Offices/Ecumenical/ChurchList.pdf

Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) was the third and youngest child of Joseph Ratzinger, Sr., a police officer, and Maria Peintner. Georg Ratzinger, his brother, is still alive. He is a priest and former director of the Regensburger Domspatzen choir. Maria Ratzinger, his sister, never married and managed his household until her death in 1991.

Joseph Ratzinger, Sr.and Maria Ratzinger (née Peintner)

There have been other German popes: Gregory V
Pope Adrian VI
Pope Clement II
Pope Damasus II
Pope Gregory V
Pope Leo IX
Pope Stephen VIII
Pope Stephen IX
Pope Victor II

Pope Benedict XVI was born in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria so yes, he is German.
Yes, he was born and raised in Bavaria. He was also a member of the Hitler Youth before and during the war.