German Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in 2005 and stepped down as head of the Church and head of state of Vatican City in 2013 due to ill health. Pope Francis has asked for prayers for his 95-year-old predecessor who has stepped down.
Benedict’s tenure as pope has been overshadowed by clerical child sex abuse scandals. He would have done too little about the abuse and covered up the misconduct. In early 2022, he asked the victims for forgiveness in the Catholic Church, but at the same time denied covering up the abuse.
Conservative theologian
As a cardinal, Ratzinger had long been the right arm of his predecessor John Paul II. He was considered a conservative theologian who was strict in doctrine. He was the first pope to resign in about six hundred years. He was given the title of pope emeritus and continued to live in Vatican City. Some conservative clergy continued to support him, seeing him as the protector of traditional values within the church.
