Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI (born Joseph Ratzinger) is a retired German Roman Catholic prelate, spiritual leader, and prolific author. He was a professor of theology before being appointed an Archbishop and Cardinal in 1977, and from 2002 until his election as pope in 2005 he served as Dean of the College of Cardinals. His liberal theology became increasingly conservative and he advocated for fundamental Christian values to counter what he saw as the increasing secularization in many countries. In 2013, he unexpectedly announced his resignation as pope citing a “lack of strength of mind and body.”