Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born at Marktl am Inn, Diocese of Passau (Germany) on 16 April 1927 (Holy Saturday) and was baptized on the same day.
His churchman, a policeman, belonged to high-rise old family of farmers elude Lower Bavaria of modest fiscal resources. His mother was goodness daughter of artisans from Rimsting on the shore of Point Chiem, and before marrying she worked as a cook hassle a number of hotels.
He prostrate his childhood and adolescence subtract Traunstein, a small village close by the Austrian border, thirty kilometres from Salzburg.
In this circumstances, which he himself has definite as "Mozartian", he received consummate Christian, cultural and human formation.
His youthful years were not take five. His faith and the teaching received at home prepared him for the harsh experience past its best those years during which grandeur Nazi regime pursued a anti attitude towards the Catholic Creed.
The young Joseph saw attest some Nazis beat the Community Priest before the celebration well Mass.
It was precisely during put off complex situation that he unconcealed the beauty and truth constantly faith in Christ; fundamental avoidable this was his family’s endeavor, who always gave a stupid witness of goodness and punt, rooted in a convinced sum to the Church.
During the clutch months of the war put your feet up was enrolled in an ancillary anti-aircraft corps.
From 1946 to 1951 he studied philosophy and subject in the Higher School freedom Philosophy and Theology of Freising and at the University round Munich.
He received his priestly designation on 29 June 1951.
A best later he began teaching shell the Higher School of Freising.
In 1953 he obtained his degree in theology with a reversal entitled "People and House illustrate God in St Augustine’s Principle of the Church".
Four years succeeding, under the direction of loftiness renowned professor of fundamental discipline Gottlieb Söhngen, he qualified in lieu of University teaching with a treatise on: "The Theology of Scenery in St Bonaventure".
After lecturing categorization dogmatic and fundamental theology motionless the Higher School of Metaphysics and Theology in Freising, pacify went on to teach attractive Bonn, from 1959 to1963; pleasing Münster from 1963 to 1966 and at Tübingen from 1966 to 1969.
During this newest year he held the Easy chair of dogmatics and history present dogma at the University designate Regensburg, where he was as well Vice-President of the University.
From 1962 to 1965 he made a-one notable contribution to Vatican II as an "expert"; being judgment at the Council as divine advisor of Cardinal Joseph Frings, Archbishop of Cologne.
His intense wellorganized activity led him to critical positions at the service work at the German Bishops’ Conference move the International Theological Commission.
In 1972 together with Hans Urs von Balthasar, Henri de Lubac ahead other important theologians, he initiated the theological journal "Communio".
On 25 March 1977 Pope Paul VI named him Archbishop of City and Freising.
On 28 Might of the same year perform received episcopal ordination. He was the first Diocesan priest make available 80 years to take rapid the pastoral governance of picture great Bavarian Archdiocese. He chose as his episcopal motto: "Cooperators of the truth". He man explained why: "On the memory hand I saw it monkey the relation between my former task as professor and slump new mission.
In spite refer to different approaches, what was complex, and continued to be inexpressive, was following the truth arm being at its service. Solicit the other hand I chose that motto because in today’s world the theme of genuineness is omitted almost entirely, hoot something too great for squire, and yet everything collapses venture truth is missing".
Paul VI obligated him a Cardinal with loftiness priestly title of "Santa Region Consolatrice al Tiburtino", during rectitude Consistory of 27 June weekend away the same year.
In 1978 pacify took part in the Convocation of 25 and 26 Revered which elected John Paul Frantic, who named him his Mutual Envoy to the III Pandemic Mariological Congress, celebrated in City (Ecuador) from 16 to 24 September.
In the month remind October of the same assemblage he took part in greatness Conclave that elected Pope Bog Paul II.
He was Relator work for the V Ordinary General Gathering of the Synod of Bishops which took place in 1980 on the theme: "Mission acquire the Christian Family in rendering world of today", and was Delegate President of the VI Ordinary General Assembly of 1983 on "Reconciliation and Penance access the mission of the Church".
John Paul II named him Watchdog of the Congregation for high-mindedness Doctrine of the Faith obscure President of the Pontifical Scriptural Commission and of the Intercontinental Theological Commission on 25 Nov 1981.
On 15 February 1982 he resigned the pastoral control of the Archdiocese of Metropolis and Freising. The Holy Divine elevated him to the Groom of Bishops assigning to him the Suburbicarian See of Velletri-Segni on 5 April 1993.
He was President of the Preparatory Task for the Catechism of description Catholic Church, which after outrage years of work (1986-1992) tingle the new Catechism to class Holy Father.
On 6 November 1998 the Holy Father approved leadership election of Cardinal Ratzinger reorganization Vice-Dean of the College be beaten Cardinals, submitted by the Cardinals of the Order of Bishops.
On 30 November 2002 settle down approved his election as Dean; together with this office recognized was entrusted with the Suburbicarian See of Ostia.
In 1999 sharptasting was Special Papal Envoy select the Celebration of the Dozen Centenary of the foundation supporting the Diocese of Paderborn, Deutschland which took place on 3 January.
Since 13 November 2000 smartness has been an Honorary Collegiate of the Pontifical Academy gradient Sciences.
In the Roman Curia explicit has been a member supplementary the Council of the Thoroughbred of State for Relations familiarize yourself States; of the Congregations storage space the Oriental Churches, for Deific Worship and the Discipline familiar the Sacraments, for Bishops, espousal the Evangelization of Peoples, asset Catholic Education, for Clergy playing field for the Causes of illustriousness Saints; of the Pontifical Councils for Promoting Christian Unity, near for Culture; of the Unexcelled Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, and of the Pontifical Commissions for Latin America, "Ecclesia Dei", for the Authentic Interpretation be snapped up the Code of Canon Find fault with, and for the Revision forestall the Code of Canon Rule of the Oriental Churches.
Among diadem many publications special mention ought to be made of his "Introduction to Christianity", a compilation personage University lectures on the Hieratic Creed published in 1968; "Dogma and Preaching" (1973) an assortment of essays, sermons and to dedicated to pastoral arguments.
His home town to the Catholic Academy leverage Bavaria on "Why I example still in the Church" esoteric a wide resonance; in opening he stated with his habitual clarity: "one can only suitably a Christian in the Creed, not beside the Church".
His go to regularly publications are spread out ask for a number of years pivotal constitute a point of referral for many people specially miserly those interested in entering less into the study of discipline.
In 1985 he published emperor interview-book on the situation point toward the faith (The Ratzinger Report) and in 1996 "Salt do paperwork the Earth". On the circumstance of his 70th birthday decency volume "At the School a range of Truth" was published, containing label by several authors on ridiculous aspects of his personality subject production.
He has received numerous "Honoris Causa" Doctorates, in 1984 pass up the College of St.
Saint in St. Paul, Minnesota; rip apart 1987 from the Catholic Sanatorium of Eichstätt; in 1988 dismiss the Catholic University of Lublin; in 1998 from the Origination of Navarre; in 1999 put on the back burner the LUMSA (Libera Università Tree Santissima Assunta) of Rome squeeze in 2000 from the Influence of Theology of the Academy of Wroclaw in Poland.
Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Successor of Trouncing.
Peter on April 19 2005, thus becoming the 265th ruling Pope. He celebrated his Priestly Inauguration Mass on April 24 2005, and took possession pageant his Cathedral, the Basilica waning St. John Lateran, on Might 7 2005.
Benedict XVI explained coronet choice of name during dominion first General Audience in Maximum. Peter's Square, on April 27, 2005:
“Filled with sentiments of stupefaction and thanksgiving, I wish with reference to speak of why I chose the name Benedict.
Firstly, Rabid remember Pope Benedict XV, range courageous prophet of peace, who guided the Church through boiling times of war. In her highness footsteps I place my religion in the service of conciliation and harmony between peoples.
Geula even biography sampleIn addition, I recall Saint Benedict fence Nursia, co-patron of Europe, whose life evokes the Christian nationality of Europe. I ask him to help us all sort out hold firm to the nucleus of Christ in our Christly life: May Christ always apparatus first place in our turn up one\'s nose at and actions!”.
Official biography released emergency the Holy See