The life of Pope Benedict XVI in pictures
- Published
Pope Benedict XVI was born Joseph Ratzinger in Germany in 1927. Do you recognise him in this photo? (He's second from right!)
When he was 14 he was made to join the Hitler Youth, like all young Germans. He served in an anti-aircraft unit during World War II.
From 1946 to 1951 he studied philosophy and theology at Munich University in Germany. In June 1951 he became a priest.
In 1977, Pope Paul VI appointed him Archbishop of Munich - and then cardinal.
Following Pope John Paul II's death in April 2005 he presided over the funeral Mass.
He became Pope Benedict XVI on 19 April 2005. Here he is waving to the crowds in Vatican City.
A tough theologian and philosopher, the new Pope was expected to defend the Church's traditional values.
In 2010, Pope Benedict became the first pope to visit the UK in more than 25 years. Here he is visiting Westminster Abbey in central London.
Pope Benedict XVI is the first pope to join Twitter. He sent his first tweets in 2012.
Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation in Latin during a meeting of Vatican cardinals. It is only the fourth time in history that a pope has stepped down. It last happened in 1415.
In a statement he said: "I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry."
