Pope Benedict XVI

Person in history

Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI, German Roman Catholic cardinal and theologian, pope (2005–2013) and archbishop of Munich and Freising (1977–1982) (born 1927)

Life at a glance

Died
2022 · December 31

Their story

Who they were

Pope Benedict XVI was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Following his resignation, he chose to be known as "pope emeritus", a title he held until his death on 31 December 2022.

Why this date

Pope Benedict XVI appears on our December 31 calendar for 2022 as a death entry.

Sources

Cite this page

“Pope Benedict XVI”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/people/pope-benedict-xvi, accessed October 26, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about Pope Benedict XVI

When did Pope Benedict XVI die?

December 31 2022.

Who else was born on this day?

The date page lists everyone we hold for that calendar day.

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