Benedict XVI, first pope to resign in 600 years, dies at 95

Pope Benedict was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign from the job, and he died Saturday. There was a man who was 95 years old.

Benedict shocked the world on February 11, 2013, when he announced that he no longer had the strength to lead the 1.2 billion strong catholic church.

The conclave that elected Pope Francis as his successor was made possible by his dramatic decision. The two popes lived side by side in the Vatican gardens, setting the stage for future popes to do the same.

Matteo Bruni, spokesman for the Vatican, said in a statement that Pope Benedict died at 9:34 in the Vatican. As soon as possible, further information will be made available.

Benedict's remains will be on display in St. Peter's Basilica from Monday to Friday.

At the age of 78, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger had no desire to become the next pope.

He was forced to follow the footsteps of the beloved St. John Paul II and run the church through the aftermath of the sex abuse scandal and then a second scandal when his own butler stole his personal papers and gave them to a journalist.

He felt like a guillotine had come down on him when he was elected pope.

He set about revitalizing the faith in a world that seemed to think it couldn't do without God.

He told 1 million young people gathered on a huge field for his first foreign trip as pope that there was a strange forgetfulness of God. Even without him, everything would be the same.

He attempted to remind Europe of its Christian heritage. The catholic church was set on a conservative, tradition-minded path by him. He relaxed the restrictions on celebrating the old Latin Mass in order to make sure that the church stays true to its doctrine and traditions. The path was reversed by his successor, Francis, who prioritized mercy over morals.

John Paul and Francis had a similar style. Benedict was a teacher, theologian and academic who was quiet and pensive with a fierce mind. The man spoke in paragraphs. When he was elected pope, he had his entire study moved from his apartment just outside the Vatican walls to the Apostolic Palace. He went to his retirement home.

He said in the 2010 book-length interview that his books are all his advisers. Everything has its history, and I know it.

Benedict was able to endeared himself to members of the traditionalist wing of the catholic church because of his devotion to history and tradition. Benedict was a beacon of nostalgia for them and the pope they preferred over Francis.

This group of arch-conservatives, whose complaints were amplified by sympathetic U.S.-based conservative Catholic media, became a key source of opposition to Francis who responded to what he said were threats of division by reimposing the restrictions on the old Latin Mass.

Benedict reached out to Jews a lot like John Paul. He became the second pope in history to enter a synagogue after writing a letter to Rome's Jewish community.

Benedict made a sweeping exoneration of the Jewish people for the death of Christ, explaining biblically and theologically why there was no reason for the argument that the Jewish people as a whole were responsible for Jesus' death.

The head of the American Jewish Committee's inter religious relations office said at the time of Benedict's retirement that he was a true friend of the Jewish people.

Benedict offended some Jews who were incensed at his constant defense of and promotion to sainthood of Pope Pius XII, the World War II-era pope accused by some of not sufficiently condemning the Holocaust. They criticized Benedict for removing the excommunication of a British bishop who denied the Holocaust.

Benedict had a mixed relationship with the Muslims. He riled Muslims with a speech in September 2006 in which he quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as "evil and inhuman."

The Al Azhar center in Cairo suspended ties with the Vatican after the massacre of Christians in Egypt.

Sometimes Benedict was to blame for the Vatican's PR gaffes. He told reporters that the AIDS problem couldn't be solved by distributing condoms when he was in Europe.

Benedict said that it increased the problem. He said that if a male prostitute used a condom to avoid passing HIV to his partner, it would be a first step towards a more responsible sexuality.

Even though Benedict was responsible for turning the Vatican around on the issue of sex abuse, the global eruption in 2010 colored his legacy.

The documents show that the Vatican was aware of the problem and turned a blind eye for a long time.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith was headed by Benedict when he was in charge of dealing with abuse cases.

The decision to assume responsibility for processing those cases was made by him before he became pope, after he realized that bishops around the world weren't punishing abusers but were just moving them from parish to parish where they could rapede again.

Benedict reversed his predecessor, John Paul, by taking action against the Rev. Maciel. Benedict took over the Legionaries of Christ after it was revealed that Maciel had sexually abused seminarians and fathered at least three children.

Benedict was faulted by an independent report for his handling of priests while he was a bishop, but he denied any wrongdoing and apologized for any fault.

The abuse scandal subsided for Benedict.

Paolo Gabriele, Benedict's former butler, was sentenced to two years in prison in October 2012 for stealing papal documents. Gabriele told Vatican investigators that he gave the documents to Nuzzi because he wanted to expose the "evil and corruption" within the Vatican.

After the "Vatileaks" scandal was over, Benedict was free to announce that he would resign rather than die in office as all his predecessors had done.

He told the cardinals that his strengths were no longer suited to the demands of being the pope.

He took a helicopter to the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo in order to sit out the conclave in private. Benedict kept to his word and lived a life of prayer in retirement, but only occasionally from his converted monastery.

One 2020 book, in which Benedict defended the celibate priesthood at a time when Francis was considering an exception, led to demands for future popes to stay quiet.

Having Benedict in the Vatican was like having a "wise grandfather" living at home according to Francis.

Benedict was a very sweet and smart academic who devoted his life to serving the church he loved.

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Benedict's deputy, thanked him for giving the example of the simple and humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

Benedict became the 265th leader of the Church when he was elected on April 19, 2005. He was the oldest pope in more than two centuries and the first German in more than a millennium.

Benedict was 14 years old when he was forced to join the Nazi youth movement against his will. The last days of the war were when he deserted the German army.

Benedict and his brother were ordination in 1951. After spending several years teaching theology in Germany, he was elevated to cardinal by Pope Paul VI.

Until his death in 2020, his brother was a frequent visitor to the papal summer residence. His sister passed away a long time ago. Monsignor Gaenswein was his private secretary and was always by his side.