Benedict was born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger in Marktl am Inn, Germany, in 1927. He's seen here on the left along with other members of his family in 1938: his brother, Georg; his mother, Maria; his sister, Maria; and his father, Joseph.
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This photo of Benedict was taken in 1943, when he was drafted by the German army. He later deserted and was taken prisoner by the US Army.
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Benedict, center, prays during an open-air Mass near Ruhpolding, Germany, in 1952. He was ordained as a priest in 1951.
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Benedict poses for a photo in 1959, when he was a professor of dogmatic theology at the University of Freising in 1955. He taught at various colleges until 1969.
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Benedict, left, was one of five new cardinals created by Pope Paul VI in June 1977.
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Benedict is greeted by people in Munich, Germany, in July 1977. He was the archbishop of Munich and Freising.
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Benedict prays next to Mother Teresa in September 1978.
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Pope John Paul II, a few days after becoming pope, greets Benedict at the Vatican in October 1978.
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Pope John Paul II signs the new Roman Catholic Code of Canon Law in 1983. Benedict, second from right, served as the Pope's chief theological adviser.
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Benedict at Vatican City in March 1977.
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Benedict greets a mountain rifleman in Munich in 1997. Before that, he had celebrated the 20th anniversary of his episcopal consecration.
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Benedict passes a cross to Pope John Paul II during a Passion of Christ celebration at the Vatican in the 2000s.
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Benedict, second from left, is among several cardinals greeting Pope John Paul II in 2003.
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Benedict waves from the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica after he was elected to be the new pope on April 19, 2005.
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Benedict casts incense over the coffin of Pope John Paul II after his death.
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Benedict looks at a child during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square in November 2005.
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Benedict wears a fur-trimmed Santa-like hat as he waves to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square in December 2005 The red hat with white fur is known in Italian as the "camauro." It was popular among pontiffs in the 17th century.
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People gather in front of the Roman Colosseum during Benedict's first Way of the Cross devotions in April 2006.
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Pope Benedict greets young people in front of a huge Jesus Christ portrait in Krakow, Poland, in May 2006. Benedict paid an emotional visit to the birthplace of his predecessor and told Poles he was praying that their favorite son would move swiftly toward sainthood.
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Benedict visits what used to be the Nazi Auschwitz death camp during his trip to Poland in May 2006.
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The Pope waves to people from his "popemobile" as he arrives for a Mass in Regensburg, Germany, in September 2006. He was on a six-day visit to his native country.
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Benedict visits Istanbul's Sultan Ahmet Mosque, aka the Blue Mosque, in November 2006.
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Benedict lies before the altar during a Good Friday ceremony at the Vatican in April 2007.
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A gust of wind blows the Pope's coat over his head while visiting Vienna, Austria, in September 2007.
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Benedict waves as he is driven through the crowd in St. Peter's Square in September 2007.
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Benedict is greeted by cardinals as he arrives to attend a concert at the Vatican in October 2007.
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Benedict arrives to celebrate Mass at New York's Yankee Stadium in April 2008. During his trip to the United States, he also visited the White House and spoke to the United Nations General Assembly.
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Benedict visits Sydney in July 2008.
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Arms stretch out to Benedict as he leaves Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral in September 2008.
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The Pope arrives to celebrate Mass in Yaounde, Cameroon, in March 2009.
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Benedict places a note in the Western Wall while visiting Jerusalem's Old City in May 2009.
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The Pope leads a mass in Manger Square, next to the Church of the Nativity, as a Palestinian flag is waved the West Bank town of Bethlehem in May 2009.
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Benedict prays in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher during his trip to Jerusalem's Old City in 2009.
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Benedict welcomes US President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to the Vatican in July 2009.
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The Pope waves to faithful from a window of his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, on the outskirts of Rome, during his weekly general audience in August 2009. His right arm was in a cast after he fell and broke his right wrist while vacationing a month earlier.
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Benedict blesses pilgrims as he arrives in St. Peter's Square for a World Youth Day event in March 2010.
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Benedict prays inside St. Paul's Grotto in Rabat, Malta, in April 2010.
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Benedict waves to the crowd gathered below St. Peter's Square during a weekly Angelus blessing in May 2010.
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Benedict walks with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II while visiting the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Queen's official residence in Scotland, in September 2010.
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Benedict travels by train to Assisi, Italy, in October 2011.
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Benedict prepares to kiss a baby as he arrives for a Mass in Cotonou, Benin, in November 2011.
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Benedict releases a dove from the window of his apartment in St. Peter's Square at the end of a Sunday Angelus prayer in January 2012.
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Benedict meets with former Cuban President Fidel Castro during a visit to Cuba in March 2012.
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Benedict walks at the end of a Holy Thursday Mass in April 2012.
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Benedict, holding a candle, enters a hushed and darkened St. Peter's Basilica to begin the Vatican's Easter vigil service in April 2012.
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Benedict delivers his blessing as he is driven through the crowd in St. Peter's Square in October 2012.
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Pope Benedict clicks on a tablet to send his first Twitter message in December 2012. His account, which went live in seven languages, had thousands of followers within minutes.
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Benedict waves at the Vatican in December 2012.
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Benedict rides the "popemobile" to St. Peter's Square in February 2013. Earlier that month, he announced that he would be retiring. The 85-year-old cited his "advanced age" as the reason.
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People crowd the gallery on top of St. Peter's Basilica as a helicopter carries Benedict out of Vatican City in February 2013. He was heading to Castel Gandolfo, where he would stay until the next pope was chosen.
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Benedict exchanges Christmas greetings with his successor, Pope Francis, at the Vatican in December 2013.
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Benedict, seated second from left, has a glass of beer on his 90th birthday in 2017.
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Benedict is pushed in a wheelchair in Regensburg, Germany, in 2020. He was in Germany visiting his sick brother.
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Pope Francis visits with Benedict at the Vatican in August 2022.
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Benedict receives the winners of the Ratzinger Prize in December 2022. The award is given to scholars that have stood out for their scientific research in the field of theology.
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