Homonym: Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (Pope)
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, born on April 16, 1927, in Germany, was a prominent Roman Catholic theologian and church leader. He served as the Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith from 1981 until 2005, where he was responsible for upholding church doctrine and addressing theological issues.
In April 2005, Ratzinger was elected as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, taking the name Pope Benedict XVI. He served until his resignation in February 2013, becoming the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years. After his resignation, he held the title of Pope Emeritus until his death on December 31, 2022.