1943 Joseph Ratzinger in Wehrmacht uniform
Joseph Ratzinger was born on April 16, 1927 in the Bavarian town of Markt am Inn in the family of a gendarmerie commissar. At the age of 14 he joined the Hitler Youth, served in the Wehrmacht, and from 1944 - in auxiliary air defense units in the Austrian Legion. In 1945, Joseph Ratzinger deserted and returned home, and some time later he was arrested by the occupation authorities and spent several months in a prisoner of war camp.
1952 Joseph Ratzinger celebrates Mass in Ruhpolding
In 1946-1951, the future Pope studied theology and philosophy at the Theological Institute at the University of Munich. At the age of 24, he was ordained a priest by Cardinal Michael von Faulbacher, Archbishop of Munich and Freising. Two years later, after defending his dissertation “The People and the House of God in Augustine’s Ecclesiology,” he became one of the best theologians in Germany.
1955 Joseph Ratzinger at the cathedral in Freising
Since 1959, Joseph Ratzinger taught at the departments of theology at the universities of Bonn and Tubing (in the latter, since 1966, he held the position of chief expert in the field of dogmatic theology). In the late 1960s, priest Joseph Ratzinger tried to act as an ideological opponent of the leaders of the radical left movement in Western Europe, but these attempts did not have much success.
1977 Joseph Ratzinger - new Archbishop of Munich and Freising
Joseph Ratzinger was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising on March 27, 1977, and three months later Pope Paul VI made him a cardinal. Seven years earlier, Ratzinger, along with eight other German theologians, signed a demand for reform of the Catholic Church, which, in particular, included the abolition of celibacy (vow of celibacy). However, in 1977 he already spoke from the opposite position, arguing that the choice of celibacy by personal decision of each person would turn this self-restraint into “ordinary eccentricity.”
1983 Pope John Paul II signs the new Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law in the presence of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
Four years earlier, Cardinal Ratzinger headed the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (until 1908 - the Holy Inquisition), and some time later became a member of the Ecclesia Dei commission, which actually turned him into the main theologian of the Vatican.
1986 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger at his home in Rome
During his stay in Rome, where he moved in 1981, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger managed to become bishop of the town of Velletri Segni, then bishop of Osti, and in 2002 - dean of the College of Cardinals, a body charged, in particular, with the responsibility for elections new Pope.
2005 year. Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI
Joseph Ratzinger became the first cardinal bishop since the 18th century and the first dean of the College of Cardinals since the 16th century to be elected to the post of head of the Catholic Church. The cardinals announced their choice on April 19, 2005, 17 days after the death of Pope John Paul II. Under him, Cardinal Ratzinger was not just the chief theologian of the Vatican, but also the person who actually determined all the dogmatic activities of the pontificate. In particular, precisely because Joseph Ratzinger was an ardent opponent of abortion, the Vatican at that time led the line for the unconditional prohibition of termination of pregnancy.
2005 year. Pope Benedict XVI's first appearance in public
On May 1, 2005, the newly elected Pope greeted the 40,000 Catholics gathered in St. Peter's Square in the Vatican from his office window. Six months later, Benedict XVI will release his first papal encyclical, dedicated to love, more precisely, the differences between the carnal love of a man and a woman and selfless religious love. In the second part of the same encyclical, the pontiff spoke about the Church, which through mercy demonstrates its love for humanity.
2006 Benedict XVI speaking in Regensburg
The Regensburg speech of Pope Benedict XVI caused a storm of indignation in the Muslim world and another outbreak of violence against Christians. The reason was the harsh words he quoted from the 14th century Byzantine Emperor Manuel II regarding the Prophet Muhammad. Later, the Pope had to begin one of his Sunday sermons with words of regret about the current situation and emphasize that what he said in Regensburg was not his personal opinion, but a quote from a medieval ruler.
year 2013. Benedict XVI during Epiphany Mass
The Epiphany Mass in St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican was one of Benedict XVI's last major appearances. At the end of the service, he consecrated four new bishops and awarded his longtime personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Genschwein. Apparently, by this time the Pope had already made a decision about his future abdication, but announced it only more than a month later.
Scandalous Pope, Transitional Pope, Nazi Pope and “cat lover” - this is how Pope Benedict XVI, who took the throne at the age of 78, was called. He became the second pontiff in history to renounce the papacy of his own free will. His biography and turbulent papacy are surrounded by a lot of scandals.
During the eight years of his pontificate, the Catholic Church experienced a series of pedophile revelations, found itself on the verge of conflict with the Muslim world and encountered a truly global sensation - the voluntary abdication of the Holy See. What is Pope Benedict XVI remembered for, whose years of reign coincided with a crisis of civilization and faith, the world community?
Youth
In the world, Joseph Alois Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, was born into the family of a German gendarme on April 16, 1927 in German Bavaria, in a town called Marktl am Inn. The youngest of three children, named after his father, at the age of two he and his family moved to the city of Auschau, in the picturesque Alps. His father, not a fanatic of National Socialism, chose a classical gymnasium in Traunstein for his son’s education. After graduation, Joseph enters the theological pre-seminary.
Nazi past
A controversial and contradictory fact in the biography of the future Pope is considered to be his entry into the youth paramilitary National Socialist organization “Hitler Youth”. Benedict XVI does not hide this fact and explains it with the advice of his mathematics teacher, who was a Nazi, but nevertheless a decent man. Attending meetings of this organization and membership in it gave a fourteen-year-old teenager grounds for a significant reduction in tuition fees.
Joseph Ratzinger did not hide, but was not proud of the fact that in 1943, as part of an auxiliary unit of anti-aircraft troops, he defended the BMW aircraft engine plant from attacks by opponents of Nazi Germany. In 1944, he installed anti-tank mines on the Austro-Hungarian border. But at the end of the war, his military biography ended - the young man deserted. After surviving about two months in American captivity, Joseph returned to Bavaria, where he graduated from theological seminary.
The future Pope's mature years
The future Pope received his higher education, specializing in theology and philosophy, at the Theological Institute at the University of Munich from 1946 to 1951. Immediately after this, the Archbishop of Freising and Munich, Cardinal Michael Faulbacher, ordained Joseph to the priesthood. At the same university he will defend his dissertation in theology. "People and Home in Augustine's Ecclesiology" will include the then simple priest in the list of the best theologians in Germany.
In 1959, Joseph began teaching at the University of Bonn, and ten years later he became a leading expert on theological dogmas at the University of Tübinham.
From a simple clergyman to the Pope
In 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed Joseph cardinal and archbishop of Munich and Freising. His pastorate in Germany continued until 1981, which he regretfully left and moved to Rome. Once in the Vatican, he holds the position of prefect of the ideological department of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith with a bishopric in small Velletri-Segni.
Having gone through several steps along the career ladder of a clergyman, since 2002, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, a member of the College of Cardinals and the Ecclesia Dei commission, has become the chief theologian of the Vatican, voicing its official position.
New Pope
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became the 265th Pope of Rome at the age of 78 on April 19, 2005, after which he took the name Benedict XVI (“Blessed One”), honoring the memory of St. Benedict of Nursia (480-547) and Pope Benedict XV (1854). -1922). His candidacy was supported by the College of Cardinals for the fourth time. He himself commented on his election very modestly, saying that he did not ask for this and hoped to retire modestly. He made his wish come true in 2013, voluntarily leaving the post of pontiff.
For the first time in a thousand years, a German from Bavaria, and not an Italian, became Pope. For the second time in the history of the pontificate, the papal throne was occupied by a person of such advanced age (the first was in 1730 by Pope Clement XII, the same age as Benedict XVI).
Conservative Cardinal
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was famous as a staunch conservative, a strong opponent of abortion and homosexual relations, divorce and genetic cloning. He was an active opponent of feminism, because he believed that it undermines family and marriage and destroys the God-given differences between women and men. His strong statements against euthanasia, stem cell research and the ordination of women have gained him both supporters and opponents.
Muslims and the Pontiff
While still studying at the University of Regensburg (2006), Benedict XVI almost became a target of terrorists. The vision of the situation regarding Emperor Manuel II almost led to tragedy. By quoting the Byzantine king on the subject of Muhammad's words to spread the faith with the sword, the pontiff caused a wave of indignation in Muslim circles.
Pakistan and India expressed criticism of the Pope, and al-Qaeda announced its desire for reprisals. The conflict was quelled when the Pope explained that the quote was intended to emphasize the unreasonableness of the holy war. The terrorist organization reneged on its promises, and the pontiff called on the world to abandon the reprisal against Saddam Hussein and not to invade Iranian territory.
Pedophilia scandal
While still a cardinal, Benedict XVI initiated changes to canonical church law: the statute of limitations for sexual crimes was abolished, the list of crimes against children and abuse of them was expanded, and the procedure for defrocking for such actions was simplified. But this did not save the church from pedophile scandals.
The largest of them broke out in 2010, when a special commission began an investigation into Irish priests accused of pedophilia. Benedict XVI sent a letter to Ireland, where he condemned their actions and expressed his idea that the criminals must answer to people, to the law, and to God. But victims of violence accused the latter of obstructing the investigation of the cases and filed a lawsuit at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
In 2012, Gianluigi Nuzzi’s book “His Holiness” was published, based on the correspondence of the Pope’s secretary Paolo Gabriele. The book describes the behind-the-scenes struggles and intrigues in the Catholic Church. As a result of this exposure, Claudio Sciarpeletti (programmer of the Vatican Secretariat of State) and Paolo Gabriele were held accountable to the law, although the Pontiff publicly pardoned them.
Dad is a writer
The author of many theosophical works is Benedict XVI (gesammelte schriften, his impressive collection of works). He was a highly educated man, fluent in ten languages. He also wrote a fiction novel, namely the book “Joseph and Chico,” where the story about the life stages of the future pontiff comes from the perspective of a neighbor’s cat.
The book “Introduction to Christianity” is still a worldwide bestseller and has been translated into dozens of languages around the world. Intransigence with liberalism in the bosom of the Church, the position of strict Catholic traditionalism, defending one’s convictions - these are the qualities of the person that Benedict XVI is. “The enemies are not outside,” Dad emphasizes. By the way, it was this phrase that became the reason to give the clergyman the nickname Panzerkardinal, which means “cardinal-battleship.” He received another nickname, already as pontiff, for defending the orthodox views of the church - “Rottweiler of God.”
Nothing human is alien
Benedict XVI is a loyal supporter and fan of the Bayern Munich football club. He continues to support the club team and the German national football team and could even become an honorary member of Bayern if he accepted the offer from the club president. He actively promoted the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, but his team did not win, unfortunately for the Pope.
The Pontiff plays the piano well. He prefers the works of Mozart and speaks unflatteringly of modern pop culture. In 2009, he even recorded an album of prayer songs accompanied by classical music. Since the time of his cardinalship, his love for cats, especially homeless ones, has also been preserved.
Worldwide upheaval - voluntary renunciation
Benedict XVI will be remembered by the church, the laity and the public for his unprecedented voluntary departure. At the consistory on February 11, 2013 for the canonization of the martyrs of Otranto, the Pope announced his voluntary resignation, his speech was broadcast by Vatican Radio. From that moment on, like a snowball, versions swarmed about the true reasons for this act. After all, he became the first Pope to resign in six hundred years, since Gregory VII in 1415.
The pontiff himself explained his unconventional decision by age and fatigue. As a representative of the world community, professor theologian A. I. Osipov, comments on the crisis of faith, Benedict XVI is too conservative, and such a position does not fit in with the liberalization of public consciousness.
What undermined the health of 86-year-old Benedict XVI, because while in office, he suffered one heart attack. Age or the scandals that befell his reign? The world will probably learn more from the book the Pope is writing in retirement.
After dad
Benedict XVI retains the name and title "Pope Emeritus". In retirement, he lives in a former monastery in the Vatican gardens, devoting all his time to his favorite reading and writing books. In 2016, this author’s fourth book, “Last Conversations,” was published, written in collaboration with German journalist Peter Seewald. This is the only memoir in which a former Pope talks about his pontificate.
Intelligence and logic, supported by the high efficiency and perseverance inherent in the German nation - this is what Benedict XVI will be remembered by his descendants. An avid Bible student, writer and excellent teacher, the Pope remains intellectually alert and physically vigorous even today, despite his advanced age.
13 November 2009, 16:08His Holiness Benedict XVI (Latin Benedictus PP. XVI, Italian Benedetto XVI, in the world Joseph Alois Ratzinger, German Joseph Alois Ratzinger; April 16, 1927, Marktl am Inn, Bavaria) - the 265th Pope (since 19 April 2005). 
Benedict XVI became the oldest pope at the time of election since Pope Clement XII (elected in 1730). Benedict XVI is the first pope since Paul IV (16th century), who was elected while dean of the College of Cardinals, the first cardinal-bishop elected to the papacy since Pius VIII, the first pope-elect since Benedict XIII, who was a cardinal before his election for a long time, the first pope of German descent in the last thousand years. Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born on Easter Eve in a house at ul. Schulsstrasse, 11 and became the third and youngest child in the family of Gendarmerie Commissioner Joseph Ratzinger and Maria Ratzinger. 
During World War II he was drafted into the air defense auxiliary unit in Munich. Ratzinger did not have to take part in the battles. When American troops approached, he deserted and returned home, but was soon arrested. He spent only a few months in a prisoner of war camp. In 1941 he became a member of the Hitler Youth, after December 1939 it was compulsory for all boys in Germany who were 14 years old. Anti-aircraft battalion soldier. 1944 - Enlisted in the Austrian Legion. 1945 - Deserted as the Allied army approached. 1946-1951 - higher education (theology and philosophy), at the University of Munich. On June 29, 1951 he received priesthood. The ordination was performed in the Freising Cathedral by Cardinal Michael Faulhaber, Archbishop of Munich and Freising. 1953 - defended his dissertation on the legacy of St. Augustine and became one of the best theologians in Germany. Since 1959 - lecturer at the Department of Theology at the University of Bonn. Since 1966 - chief expert in the field of dogmatic theology at the University of Tübingen. Here he tried to act as the main ideological opponent of the radical left at the height of the student unrest that swept across Europe in the 1960s. 1972 - in opposition to anti-clerical publications, he founded the theological magazine “Communio”, which still exists. 1977 from March 24 - Archbishop of Munich and Freising, from June 27 - cardinal, appointed by Pope Paul VI. November 30, 2002 Ratzinger becomes dean of the College of Cardinals. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is the first dean of the College of Cardinals since 1555 to be elected pope. Benedict XVI speaks fluent German, Italian, Latin, English and Spanish and reads texts in ancient Greek and Hebrew. Pope Benedict XVI has an email address that anyone can send a letter to - [email protected] After Christmas Mass in 2008, an Italian woman, apparently suffering from mental illness, tried to force her way to the pope and bite him on the neck. Security staff managed to prevent the incident in time. Conflict with Muslims On September 12, 2006, Benedict XVI gave a lecture at the University of Regensburg on the role of reason (Greek: λόγος) in Christianity and Islam, as well as on the concept of holy war (see Pope's speech in Regensburg. He quoted the words of the 14th century Byzantine emperor Manuel II , that Muhammad brought to the world only “something evil and inhumane, such as his command to spread the faith he preached by the sword.” His words caused a strong reaction in the Muslim world, due to the violence caused by this statement (according to experts), Islamic fanatics died. , at least one Catholic nun. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit ordered the embassy in the Vatican to obtain urgent clarifications in connection with statements about Islam attributed to Pope Benedict XVI... Thousands of Egyptians demonstrated at the Al-Azhar mosque on Friday. " in Cairo, protesting against the Pope's remarks on Islam, the Turkish Islamic Party has joined a wave of criticism against Pope Benedict XVI's comments on Islam, accusing him of trying to revive the spirit of the Crusades. Party representatives said that the Pope interprets history in the same way as Hitler and Mussolini did. In protest, Indian Muslims burned a copy of a newspaper containing Benedict XVI's speech. “Show me what Muhammad brought new, and you will find evil and inhumane things, such as orders to carry out the faith that he preached with the sword,” the BBC quotes a scandalous quote. Benedict XVI said “I quote” twice. However, the Pope's speech provoked an angry reaction from Muslim leaders. Pope Benedict XVI expressed regret that his statements about Islam were perceived as hostile towards Muslims, Reuters reports. The respected Islamic university Al-Azhar has called on the Vatican to take a scientific approach to the study of Islam, which will ensure the mutual respect necessary for dialogue between representatives of different religions. This is stated in a statement by the Al-Azhar research center, which refers to the sensational statements of Pope Benedict XVI about Islam. Islamists have threatened to attack the Vatican. To the text of the statement, the “Mujahideen Army” attached video recordings of attacks on American military targets in Iraq, “dedicating” them to Benedict XVI. Militants from the Mujahideen Army group vowed to destroy the cross in the heart of Rome, as well as destroy thrones and crosses on the territory of their opponents. In Iraq, Muslims burned a symbolic effigy of Benedict XVI. The Russian Council of Muftis called for preventing religious confrontation. Two Christian churches were set on fire in Palestine. The reason for them was the statements of Pope Benedict XVI about Islam. Pope Benedict XVI began his Sunday sermon by lamenting the reaction of the Islamic world to a speech he delivered on Thursday at the University of Regenburg in Germany... The head of the Roman Catholic Church recalled that on Saturday the new Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, spoke official denial... 
In his annual speech to the Vatican's top clergy, Pope Benedict XVI said saving humanity from homosexuality and transsexualism is as important as preserving tropical forests. According to him, admiration for God's creation should not be limited to protecting the environment. It is necessary, the Pope said, to save man from himself. The pontiff emphasized that he considers the theory of gender equality destructive for humanity, since it erases the boundaries between men and women. The theory of gender equality also suggests that each person must understand his biological purpose and his role in society. However, the Pope is confident that the destiny of men and women, as defined in the Bible, is clear, does not need to be rethought, and is inherent in every person even before birth. At the same time, sexual minorities around the world, and especially in the United States, consider the theory of gender equality to be the basis for mutual understanding and tolerance between people. The 81-year-old pontiff said that along with the ecology of the environment, there must also be an ecology of humanity. Speaking to Vatican ministers, the Pope also recalled the Church's unwavering position on same-sex marriage. On December 7, a protest took place in Italy against the Vatican’s attitude towards homosexuality. About 200 people, including a number of Italian politicians, gathered in a park on the border of the Vatican. Earlier it was reported that the Vatican published a document on homosexuality among priests. It states, in particular, that it is not recommended to ordain men with deep-rooted homosexual tendencies as Catholic priests. An exception to the rule is made for those who can overcome these tendencies at least three years before ordination. And Pope Benedict XVI is going to release a music album with the help of the record company Geffen Records. The release, scheduled for Christmas Eve this year, will be called Alma Mater. In addition to religious chants dedicated to the Virgin Mary and performed by the pontiff, it will also include modern compositions. It is noteworthy that the record will be published by Geffen Records, which at one time was involved in reproducing records by Nirvana and Guns N' Roses, and now the label publishes rapper Snoop Dogg, the Pussycat Dolls and singer Mary J. Blige. Company President Colin Barlow called the voice of the pontiff "incredible". 
Benedict XVI abdicated the throne - this news recently stunned the religious world, and especially Catholics. The last time a Pope abdicated the throne occurred several centuries ago. Usually they replaced each other due to death. Such an extraordinary act of the holy man attached to him the influence of not only the Catholic community, but also representatives of other faiths, as well as the media around the world.
The early years of the Pope
In the small village of Marktl am Inn, on the eve of Easter, Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born into the family of a gendarme on April 16, 1927 - this is the real name that Benedict XVI had. He was the youngest child in the family. When the child was 5 years old, the family moved to the city of Auschau, which is located in the picturesque Alpine mountains. At the age of 10, Joseph was a student at the classical gymnasium in the city of Traunstein. His father chose this gymnasium for him because he was one of the supporters of National Socialism. At the age of fourteen, Josef joined the ranks of the fascist organization Hitler Youth. Many historians argue that joining the fascist organization at that time was a prerequisite for all boys who had reached this age.
Youth years
Joseph Alois Ratzinger's work as a church minister began in 1939, at which time he became a student at the pre-seminary. During the Second World War, he happened to get into the youth air defense unit as an assistant. He studied in the city of Munich at the Maximilian Gymnasium. At the age of 17, Joseph was enlisted in the Austrian region. Pope Benedict XVI does not really like to remember this moment in his biography. Military service did not suit him, and in 1945 he deserted. These were difficult years for the young man; after escaping from the army, he returned to the city of Traunstein. At that time, the headquarters of the American army was located in his parents' house. Joseph Ratzinger was arrested and then sent to a prison camp. A few months later he was released.
In 1946-1951, Joseph Ratzinger received higher education at the Theological Institute, specializing in theology and philosophy. In 1951, Benedict 16, about whom a film was made not so long ago, received holy orders. In Freising Cathedral, Joseph Ratzinger was ordained a priest by Cardinal Michael Faulhaber, who was the archbishop. Then in 1953 Joseph Ratzinger wrote a theological work at the University of Munich. As a result of this work, he went down in German history as the country's best theologian.
The Pope's Mature Years
In 1972, Ratzinger worked as a teacher of theology at a higher education institution in Bonn. In 1966 he is the best expert on dogmatic theology in Tübingen. Then, in 1972, Ratzinger became one of the founders of the famous magazine Communio, whose name translates as “communion.” This magazine about theology and culture is still published today. In the spring of 1977, Joseph Ratzinger was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising. On June 27, he was appointed to the post of cardinal by Pope Paul VI. In 1980, the cardinal was appointed head of the Council for the Laity. Subsequently, Pope Paul VI invited him to become head of the Congregation for Catholic Education.
Church service
If Joseph Ratzinger had taken this post, this could have led to his departure from the Munich see and there would have been a need to move to the Vatican. Therefore, Joseph Ratzinger refused the offered position of leader of the Congregation. In 1981, he agreed to be appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in the Vatican department and then moved to the Vatican. At the same time, he refuses to pastor.
In 1993, the Vatican appointed Joseph Ratzinger as Bishop of Velletri-Segni. In 2000 he became Bishop of Osti. Then, in 2002, he assumed the position of Dean of the College of Cardinals. Having become a cardinal, he joins the ranks of the council of the Ecclesia Dei. Thus, from that time on, he has been the chief theologian in the Vatican, and therefore his views on major issues affecting society appear to be the position of the Vatican. Ratzinger opposed abortion, which is why it is unacceptable in the Vatican.
Education
The activities carried out by Benedict XVI indicate that he is a highly educated person. He is fluent in several languages: German, English, Italian, Spanish, Ancient Greek and Hebrew. The Pope is also the author of numerous works: “Truth and Tolerance”, “God and Peace” and others. He is the author of Introduction to Christianity, which has become an international bestseller.
He is distinguished by his conservative views and thinking. He condemns homosexual relations, same-sex marriage, divorce, and cloning. Among other things, he is an opponent of feminism. He believes that feminism undermines the foundations of marriage and family, as well as God-given differences between the stronger and weaker sex. Conservative views can be read in his books. In them, he examines the conservative course of the formation of the Church; he is also dissatisfied with the mixing of different cultures that takes place in some Western countries; he believes that modern culture contradicts religion and moral standards.
Pope
The Pope in Germany was given the nickname Panzerkardinal, which means “cardinal-battleship”; he is distinguished by his intolerance of liberalism in the Catholic Church. But at the same time, Germany, like other countries, joyfully learned the news of the appointment of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope. On May 7, 2005, he, who is also the Bishop of Rome, solemnly assumed the see of the capital's diocese. In 2013, the Pope announced that he wanted to leave his post due to the fact that he was old.
Joseph Ratzinger, like his other predecessor, the Pope, supports the existing course and policy, which is aimed at the peaceful coexistence of the Catholic Church and other faiths. In turn, Benedict XVI has always opposed armed conflicts around the world, in defense of civilians.
]. The Ratzingers had long been farmers, but the father of the future pontiff, Joseph Ratzinger Sr., served in the police and held anti-fascist views: in the early 1930s, he tried to prevent the Nazis from carrying out pogroms in his city, , , . Joseph's mother was Maria Peintner: she met Ratzinger Sr. in 1920 through a marriage advertisement in a newspaper. Joseph Ratzinger had an older sister, Maria (she died in 1991), and a brother, Georg, a priest and musician.
Ratzinger Jr. studied at the seminary in the village of Traunstein on the border with Austria, where he moved with his family. He was forced to join the ranks of the paramilitary Nazi youth organization "Hitler Youth" (Hitler Youth, Hitlerjugend) at the age of ten (according to other sources - at fourteen years old), and during the Second World War, Ratzinger was drafted into an air defense unit in Munich, protecting BMW aircraft engine plant His unit was then sent to Hungary, where Ratzinger was installing anti-tank barriers. Ratzinger claimed that he did not fire a single shot during the war. In April 1944, he deserted and spent some time as a prisoner of the Allied forces.
In the post-war years, Ratzinger's theological career began. From 1946 to 1951 he studied philosophy and theology at the Hochschule für Philosophie et Theologie in the Bavarian city of Freising and then at the University of Munich. In 1951 he was ordained a priest of the Catholic Church. In 1953, Ratzinger received his doctorate in theology, and four years later he was certified to teach at the university. He lectured on dogmatic and fundamental theology in Freising, Bonn, Münster and Tübingen. In 1969, he became vice-president of the University of Regensburg and headed the department of dogmatic theology and history of dogma there. During his teaching at universities, Ratzinger fought against the leftist sentiments of students and was already considered an extremely influential cleric: in 2005 it turned out that he was being followed by at least eight agents of the East German intelligence service Stasi.
On March 25, 1977, Ratzinger was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising and consecrated bishop on May 28. Already in June of the same year, Pope Paul VI made Ratzinger a cardinal. Ratzinger took part in the conclaves that elected Pope John Paul I in 1978 and later John Paul II. Ratzinger's views were similar to the conservative views of John Paul II, and on November 25, 1981, the pope appointed him prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, an office that inherited some of its functions from the Inquisition. In February 1982, Ratzinger resigned his archbishopric ministry in Bavaria. In 1987, Ratzinger made a statement about Judaism and Jews that the main result of all Jewish history was the birth of Christ, for which he was later accused of “theological anti-Semitism.”
From 1986 to 1992, Ratzinger led the commission working on the text of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church. On April 5, 1993, he headed the suburban diocese of Velletri-Segni, and in 2002, the suburban diocese of Ostia. Since 1998, the priest has been vice-dean, and since 2002, dean of the College of Cardinals. Ratzinger held various positions in the Papal Curia. In the last years of the life of John Paul II, he remained the hierarch closest to him and in April 2005, after the death of the pontiff, he was elected to his place, receiving the name Benedict XVI, and the title of Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, successor of St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, Supreme High Priest of the Universal Church, Patriarch of the West, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Head of the Vatican State and Servant of the Servants of God.
Benedict XVI is considered a conservative pontiff. He has long been opposed to socialist ideology, homosexuality, contraception and abortion. He also opposed the liberalization of church orders, he was criticized for condemning the ordination of women, homosexuals and married men as priests. He opposed genetic experiments: in his opinion, genetic scientists were “taking on the role of God.” In 2006, Benedict XVI fired the head of the Vatican Observatory, Jesuit priest George Coyne, for rejecting creationism (the doctrine that the earth and life on it were created by God) and supporting the Catholic Church's acceptance of the theory of evolution. In 2007, Benedict XVI issued a special encyclical in which he condemned atheism and the activities of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin.
As a cardinal, Benedict XVI spoke negatively about popular culture, in particular about rock musician Bob Dylan and the Harry Potter series of books by writer Joanne Rowling.
During a visit to Germany in mid-September 2006, Benedict XVI in one of his speeches quoted the Byzantine Emperor Manuel Palaiologos, who said that the Prophet Muhammad brought only evil and inhumanity to the world. These words caused discontent and mass protests among Muslims, despite subsequent apologies from the pontiff.
Like John Paul II, Benedict XVI paid much attention to relations with the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC). Representatives of the Vatican stated that he was ready to come to Moscow to meet with its primate-patriarch, while the Russian Orthodox Church argued that the Vatican was still pursuing an aggressive policy of luring believers to the Uniate movement on the territory of Ukraine, and had no plans to invite the pontiff to Russia. John Paul II had not previously come to Russia without an official invitation from the Russian Orthodox Church. Nevertheless, Benedict XVI met with Patriarch Kirill, who at that time was the head of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate.
In November 2006, Benedict XVI visited Turkey, where he met with Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople: the heads of the churches celebrated Mass together. The Patriarch greeted the Pope with words that he mourned the schism of churches.
In 2007, Benedict XVI met with Russian President Vladimir Putin. As the pontiff said, “Russia is a truly great country, great in many respects: it is great for its open spaces, centuries-old history, its highest spirituality and multifaceted culture.”
In October 2008, after the start of the global recession, Benedict XVI said that this crisis demonstrates the uselessness of money and the futility of accumulating wealth.
In May 2012, the media wrote about the scandal that erupted after the publication of the book by journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi, “His Holiness: The Secret Letters of Benedict XVI” (Sua Santita. Le Carte Segrete Di Benedetto XVI), based on fragments of the pope’s confidential correspondence and announced by representatives Vatican "slanderous" and "criminal", . Benedict XVI's valet Paolo Gabriele was accused of leaking the materials. In October of the same year, Gabriele was convicted by the Vatican court of stealing documents, and in November, Claudio Sciarpelletti, an employee of the Vatican Secretariat, was convicted of participating in the same crime.
Benedict XVI is fond of classical music and can play the piano himself. The press also wrote that he is a big cat lover.
Used materials
Vatileaks, il tecnico Claudio Sciarpelletti condannato a due mesi. - Quotidiano.net, 10.11.2012
Vatileaks: 18 mesi per Paolo Gabriele "Ho agito per amore della Chiesa". - Corriere della Sera, 06.10.2012
Lettere a Benedetto XVI finite in un libro Il Vaticano denuncera furto e ricettazione. - La Repubblica, 19.05.2012
Who can be elected as the new head of the Russian Orthodox Church? - NEWSru.com, 05.12.2008