Pope Benedict XVI, also known as the Pope Emeritus, has passed away at the age of 95 in Vatican City. Benedict was the first pontiff in almost 600 years to resign from his position, citing his advanced age. News of his death came days after Pope Francis asked the faithful to pray for Benedict, stating that he was "very sick." Benedict's health had been in decline for some time.
Benedict was a powerful force in the Catholic Church for decades. Born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany in 1927, he was ordained as a priest in 1951, became a cardinal in 1977, and later served as chief theological adviser to Pope John Paul II. He was elected pope in 2005 following John Paul II's death and was known for his conservative views. In comparison, Pope Francis, who succeeded Benedict, has taken a more liberal approach on issues such as abortion and homosexuality and has worked to address the sexual abuse crisis within the church.
Benedict's legacy has been marred by accusations that he failed to address sexual abuse by Catholic clergy during his time as archbishop of Munich and Freising between 1977 and 1982. A Church-commissioned report published in 2021 found that while in this position, Benedict was informed of four cases of sexual abuse involving minors, including two that occurred during his time in office, but failed to act. Benedict later released a letter stating that he was "of good cheer" as he faced "the final judge of my life," despite his shortcomings.
In his farewell address, Benedict promised to stay "hidden" from the world, but he continued to speak out on religious matters in the years following his retirement. In April 2019, he discussed the sex abuse crisis in a public letter, claiming that it was caused in part by the sexual revolution of the 1960s and the liberalization of the church's moral teachings. In January 2020, Benedict distanced himself from a book widely seen as undercutting Pope Francis as he considered whether or not to allow married men to become priests in certain cases. The book argued in favor of the centuries-old tradition of priestly celibacy within the Catholic Church.