Pope Benedict the Sixteenth: 'God's Rottweiler' who led the faithful

Former Pope Benedict the Sixteenth has left the mortal world for hisheavenly abode. He was elected as leader of the Christian faithful around the world in 2005. He was 78 years old then. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, as he was known before he ascended to the position of Pope, had said in 2005 itself that he was looking forward to retirement after Pope John Paul the Second, his predecessor, passed away.

Pope Benedict the Sixteenth led the Church for eight years before resigning in 2013. He was the first pope to step down from his position since Pope Gregory the Twelfth in the Middle Ages.

When he took over the Church, it was at the receiving end of allegations and lawsuits of clerical child sex abuse. He prevailed against the voices within the Vatican who were deeming these allegations as a conspiracy against the Catholic Church. He took a stand and asserted that the Church should take responsibility for 'sins within the Church'.

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As head of Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, he had direct jurisdiction over some of the clerical abuse.

He was given the nickname "God's Rottweiler" for his deeply conservative views. His tenure as Pope saw him clash with homosexuals, feminists and more.

Pope Benedict was born on April 16, 1927in Germany and raised in Bavaria. After the Second World War, he studied Theology and Philosophy. He became chaplain in Munich in 1951.

Ratzinger was known to be an academic. He obtained a doctorate and even became a professor at the University of Bonn. His inaugural lecture was “the God of Faith and the God of Philosophy”.

He became the chair for dogmatic theology at Tubingen University in 1966.

In the Vatican, he was made a cardinal by Pope Paul the Sixth. His ascent withinthe ranks was acknowledged when Pope John Paul the Second made him his most important adviser.

At the age of 50, Ratzinger was appointed the archbishop of Munich-Freising. This was followed by his appointment as priest of Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino by Pope Paul the Fifth. The year was 1977.

In the 1980s, Ratzinger became the right-hand man of Pope John Paul the Second. The connections he developed within the Vatican became of great value when Pope John Paul the Second passed away and search for a new pope began.

His health was a matter of concern for the Church for recent months. The current Pope Francis paid him several visits inquiring about his health.

On Saturday (December 31), the Vatican made an official announcement confirming that the former pope had left the world for a final journey to the heavens.

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"With sorrow I inform you that the Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI, passed away today at 9:34 in the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican.

"Further information will be provided as soon as possible."

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