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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI gives his opinion on sexual abuse 0:39
(CNN) - Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passionately defended celibacy by saying that he cannot remain silent while his successor, Pope Francis, considers softening the prohibition of married men serving as priests.
Here are some facts you might not know about Pope Benedict XVI.
Personal
Date of birth: April 16, 1927
Place of birth: Marktl am Inn, Germany
Birth Name: Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger
Education: University of Munich, PhD Theology, 1953
Other facts
He is the first pope to resign from Gregory XII in 1415.
He served as chief theological advisor to Pope John Paul II.
He is an accomplished pianist and loves Mozart.
During World War II, he left the German army and was taken prisoner by the US army. UU.
In 2005, he became the second pope in history to visit a synagogue when he speaks at the Roonstrasse Synagogue in Cologne, Germany.
In 2009 he signed a record deal with Geffen Records to record his songs and prayers to the Virgin Mary and releases the album "Alma Mater".
In 2012 the book of the pope "Jesus of Nazareth: the narratives of childhood" is published, in which he affirms that the Christian calendar is based on an error committed by a monk of the 6th century, who was several years late in the calculation of the date of birth of Jesus.
In 2013, he announces that he will retire from February 28. He cites his "old age" as the reason.
In 2016, Benedict XVI's book "The Last Testament: in his own words" is published, co-written by Peter Seewald.
In 2018, Benedict XVI says that “he is on a pilgrimage to the home” in a rare public letter published in the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera . Apparently, the brief note in Italian came after the newspaper asked Pope Emeritus for an answer to readers who wondered how he was doing.
Benedict XVI