Interesting Facts about Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI was one of the most groundbreaking leaders in Vatican history.

Although he only led the Roman Catholic Church for eight years. Benedict changed the nature of the papacy by modernizing the institution.

In particular, Benedict set the precedent of retirement Thus, allowing the Church to replace aging popes with younger and more vigorous pontiffs. Notably, Benedict used old age as his pretext for retirement in 2013.

The action was unprecedented because popes traditionally serve until their deaths. Instead, Benedict stepped down just like a normal person and went into retirement.

Retirement was just one of many facts about Benedict’s life. Some interesting aspects of Benedict’s life include:

1. Benedict was the first Pope Emeritus or Retired Pope. The last Pope to resign, Gregory XII quit to avoid a schism of the church between rival French and Italian popes. Benedict resigned because of old age and ill health.
2. He was the last living world leader to have fought in World War II. In 1943, they drafted teenager Joseph Alois Ratzinger into the Luftwaffe, or German Air Force. Ratzinger served the end of the war in antiaircraft artillery units and in an anti-tank unit.
3. Yes, the former Pope was an ex-Nazi…