Pope Benedict XVI Hands Folded

Pope Benedict XVI, (born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger; 16 April 1927) is the Pope Emeritus of the Catholic Church. He served as the 265th pope from 2005 to 2013. In that role, he was both the leader of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of the Vatican City State. Benedict was elected on 19 April 2005 in a papal conclave, celebrated his Papal Inauguration Mass on 24 April 2005, and took possession of his cathedral, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, on 7 May 2005. A native of Bavaria, he has both German and Vatican citizenship. His resignation became effective on 28 February 2013.