Former pope Benedict XVI passes away at 95
Nearly ten years after becoming the first pope to step down in six centuries, the Vatican announced on Saturday that former pope Benedict XVI has passed away at the age of 95.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away today at 9:34 at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican, according to a statement from Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni.
Since his shocking resignation in February 2013, the German pope emeritus, whose birth name was Joseph Ratzinger, had been leading a tranquil life at a disused convent on the premises of the Vatican.
His condition has been deteriorating for some time, but the Vatican announced on Wednesday that it had become worse, and his successor, Pope Francis, urged Catholics all around the globe to pray for him.
His passing ends an extraordinary scenario in which Benedict and Francis, two "men in white," coexisted inside the boundaries of the little city state.
Although there is no set protocol for past popes, Francis is anticipated to preside over Benedict's burial at the Vatican.
John Paul II, the last pope to pass away, was laid to rest in St. Peter's Square in 2005 before his burial liturgy, which was attended by a million people, including heads of state.
Scandal and internal conflicts
Benedict had reportedly nearly completely withdrew from public view, and the rare images that did surface of him revealed his weakness.
He became the first pope to resign from his position as leader of the Catholic church since 1415 in 2013, citing his deteriorating physical and mental health.
Although he was a great theologian, Benedict was criticized for his lack of leadership during the scandal involving clergy sexual abuse of minors, which rocked the Catholic Church worldwide.
After a damning investigation for the German church accused him of personally failing to stop four predatory priests in the 1980s while archbishop of Munich, the abuse crisis clouded his final months.
He vigorously denied any misconduct, and the Vatican vigorously defended his record as the first pope to apologize for the abuses and meet with victims while expressing his own "deep regret."
The first German pope of the modern period, Benedict was 78 years old when he replaced the long-reigning and well-liked John Paul II in April 2005. Benedict was born on April 16, 1927, in Marktl am Inn, Bavaria.
Later, he said that his victory felt "like the guillotine."
Benedict was a conservative academic called "God's Rottweiler" in a previous position as main doctrinal enforcer, in contrast to his successor Pope Francis, a Jesuit who enjoys being among his flock.
His pontificate was marred by controversy, including remarks that infuriated the Muslim world, a money-laundering scandal at the Vatican bank, and a humiliating incident when, in 2012, his butler disclosed classified documents to the media.
He said that he would live "hidden from the world" after resigning, although he continued to speak out on important Church matters through books, interviews, and essays.
He voiced his objection to allowing priests to be married in January 2020. A year prior, he attributed the clergy abuse scandals to the sexual revolution of the 1960s and a decline in Western religion.
In a March 2021 interview, he asserted that "there is only one pope," but he also conceded that some of his fans were "fanatical" and would not accept his retirement.
