# Pope Benedict

This year

2023

# Catholic Church

Pilgrims keep streaming to Vatican to honour Pope Benedict

The former pontiff’s body is lying in state after his death on Saturday.

8.5k

Jan 3rd 2023, 11:00 AM

Last year

2022

# Vatican

Ex-pope Benedict's health serious but stable, says Vatican

Benedict, who was the first pope since the Middle Ages to resign as head of the Catholic Church, has been in fragile health for many years.

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Updated

Dec 29th 2022, 1:46 PM

# Vatican

Vatican says health of retired pope Benedict XVI ‘worsening’

95-year-old Benedict became the first pontiff to resign in six centuries when he stepped down in 2013.

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Updated

Dec 28th 2022, 1:00 PM

# archbishop of Munich

Ex-pope Benedict XVI asks for forgiveness over sex abuse scandal

The 94-year-old expressed his “shame, and deep sorrow” in a letter published by the Vatican

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Feb 8th 2022, 6:37 PM

# Pope Benedict

Former pope confirms he attended meeting in 1980 about abusive priest despite earlier denial

He says an editorial error was responsible for his previous assertion that he was not there.

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Jan 24th 2022, 1:27 PM

All time

# Pope Benedict

Retired Pope Benedict ‘ill after visit to Germany’

Benedict has lived in a monastery in Vatican City since shortly after his retirement.

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Aug 3rd 2020, 11:21 AM

# Not In My Name

Former pope Benedict denies he co-authored controversial book arguing against lifting celibacy ban

While Benedict has sought to ease the crisis in the Vatican, Cardinal Robert Sarah has said the former pope did co-author the book.

16.8k

Jan 14th 2020, 9:42 PM

# the two popes

Former Pope Benedict makes 'incredible' plea to Pope Francis not to end clerical celibacy

Francis is currently considering allowing it in remote locations, such as the Amazon, where communities seldom have Mass.

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Jan 13th 2020, 8:21 AM

# sex abuse scandals

Ex-pope Benedict XVI blames clerical sex abuse on 1960s sexual revolution

Benedict has written a 6,000-word essay for Klerusblatt, a German monthly magazine for clergy.

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Apr 11th 2019, 9:01 PM

# Pope Benedict

Vatican communications chief quits over row about letter written by retired pope

Monsignor Dario Vigano was accused of manipulating a private letter written by Benedict XVI about Pope Francis.

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Mar 21st 2018, 10:38 PM

# Homophobia

Councillor calls for action on hate crime after being sent homophobic letter

Inside the package Francis Timmons received was a picture of Pope Benedict, a letter about World Family Day and a letter from Pope Francis.

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Jul 14th 2017, 6:05 AM

# regensburger domspatzen

At least 231 children abused at Catholic boys' choir run by Pope Benedict's brother

George Ratzinger, Benedict’s older brother, ran the famous Regensburg choir from 1964 to 1994.

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Jan 8th 2016, 8:42 PM

# Richard Williamson

Holocaust-denying bishop could be excommunicated for act of defiance

Bishop Richard Williamson is planning to consecrate a new Bishop without the Pope’s permission.

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Mar 18th 2015, 10:03 PM

# Catholic Church

Former Pope Benedict defrocked nearly 400 priests in two years for child abuse

Statistics for 2011-12 show a dramatic increase over the 171 priests removed in 2008 and 2009.

55.6k

Jan 17th 2014, 10:50 PM

# divine message

Benedict XVI: 'God told me to resign'

He is also quoted as saying that the “charisma” shown by his successor Pope Francis showed that the resignation was “God’s will”.

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Aug 21st 2013, 12:34 PM

# RTÉ

RTÉ News chief 'satisified' with €167,000 cost of Pope coverage

Kevin Bakhurst said the cost of covering the change of Pope was €100,000 less than on the last occasion in 2005.

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Apr 25th 2013, 1:10 PM

# Catholic Church

Pope urges Church to 'act with determination in cases of sexual abuse'

The Vatican continues to receive around 600 claims against abusive priests ever year. Today’s comments from Pope Francis were his first on the clerical sex abuse scandal since succeeding Pope Benedict last month.

7.6k

Apr 5th 2013, 9:57 PM

# pope francis

In Pictures: Pope Francis' inauguration

In his address to the nearly 200,000 pilgrims the newly elected pope promised to embrace the “poorest, the weakest” of humanity.

7.4k

Mar 19th 2013, 12:33 PM

# NEW POPE

The next Pope: Cardinals gather for pre-conclave talks

Cardinals gather for the general congregations today ahead of the start of the conclave to elect the next head of the Catholic Church.

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Mar 4th 2013, 8:00 AM

# Ex Benedict

Cardinals begin process of arranging conclave to elect new pope

The tweets from the @pontifex Twitter account have been removed, with the account dormant awaiting a new pontiff.

5.1k

Mar 1st 2013, 11:32 AM

# Ex Benedict

Benedict XVI formally steps down as leader of Catholic Church

Cardinals will now meet to elect a successor, while the 85-year-old former Joseph Ratzinger will be known as ‘Pope Emeritus’.

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Feb 28th 2013, 7:10 PM

Evening Wrap

The 5 at 5 5 stories, 5 minutes, 5 o’clock…

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Feb 28th 2013, 4:47 PM

# All over

Last day: Benedict XVI's papal powers expire at 7pm tonight

The pontiff will depart the Vatican later today to spend the next few months at the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo before he returns to the Vatican permanently to live a life of prayer and academic research.

4.3k

Feb 28th 2013, 8:03 AM

# arrivederci

Benedict XVI holds final address before stepping down as pope

The 85-year-old enjoys an emotional sendoff, explaining his reasons for retiring and taking a final tour of St Peter’s Square.

4.7k

Feb 27th 2013, 12:27 PM

# One last time

Pope to hold his final Vatican audience ahead of departure

Details of Pope Benedict’s life after his reign ends have emerged and include him swapping his trademark red shoes for a brown pair. His Fisherman’s Ring will also be destroyed.

3.0k

Feb 27th 2013, 8:14 AM

# Pope Benedict XVI

Pope not 'abandoning the Church' as 100,000 attend Sunday prayer

An emotional Pope Benedict XVI has delivered his last Sunday prayer in St Peter’s Square in Rome.

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Feb 24th 2013, 3:39 PM

# Ex Benedict

Report: Pope decided to resign after internal report on adultery

La Repubblica says a report presented in December detailed breaches of the ‘sixth and seventh commandments’.

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Feb 21st 2013, 1:13 PM

Voices

Column: Pope Benedict saw sense by retiring early, John Paul II should have too

We need a pope that will listen to the wider church and wider world, writes Fr Seamus Ahearne, who reflects on the previous two popes’ achievements and failures.

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Feb 17th 2013, 7:00 AM

# you told us

Top readers' comments of the week

Here’s our round-up of the best, the most popular and the most commented-on pieces from the past week. Did you make it in?

9.2k

Feb 16th 2013, 11:00 AM

# new boss

Benedict's closest confidant to hold dual role under new pope

Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, the pope’s personal secretary, will keep his old job but will also oversee the new pope’s household.

7.0k

Feb 15th 2013, 6:45 AM

# The Pope

In pictures: From Cardinal Ratzinger to Pope Benedict XVI

The life and times of the 265th Pope.

8.8k

Feb 11th 2013, 12:44 PM

# pope roy

Snapshot: Pope resigns, Roy Keane reckons he could do a job

Well he is infallible, right?

3.2k

Feb 11th 2013, 11:51 AM

# Abortion

What did the Pope say about abortion yesterday?

Was Benedict referring to Ireland when he spoke of laws that “unjustly alter the balance” between mother and baby?

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Jan 8th 2013, 8:34 AM

# Odd Couples

8 of the weirdest meetings of 2012

From Lady Gaga hanging out with Julian Assange to Tupac Shakur’s Coachella performance, here’s our shortlist of the stranger celebrity and political encounters of the year.

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Dec 25th 2012, 6:30 PM