Benedict XVI was born on April 16, 1927, at the Birth house of Benedict XVI.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] He was the son of Joseph Ratzinger, Sr. and Maria Peintner, and had a sibling, Georg Ratzinger.[10][11][10][12][9] He held citizenship in Germany, Vatican City, and Italy.[13][9]
Occupation: Latin Catholic bishop[18], Catholic theologian[19], archbishop[20], theologian[21]
Field of work: Christian theology[22], Petrine ministry[23]
Position held: prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith[24], Pope[25], Cardinal-Bishop of Velletri-Segni[26], cardinal-bishop of Ostia[27], Dean of the College of Cardinals[28], cardinal priest[29], Roman Catholic Archbishop of Munich and Freising[30], Pope emeritus[31], cardinal[32]
Employer: University of Tübingen[33], University of Bonn[34], Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München[35], University of Münster[36], University of Regensburg[37]
Award received: Commander of the Legion of Honour[41], Bavarian Order of Merit[42], Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in Gold[43], Stephanus Award[44], honorary doctorate[45], Bavarian Maximilian Order for Science and Art[46], honorary doctor of Babeș-Bolyai University[47], honorary citizenship[48], Grand Cross 1st class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany[49], Great Cross with Star and Sash of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany[50], honorary doctorate from the Catholic University of Lublin[51], Order of Karl Valentin[52], honorary doctor of the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt[53], honorary doctorate of the University of Navarre[54]
Religion or worldview: Catholic Church[55], Catholicism[56]
Things named for Benedict XVI include Ratzinger Prize[59].
Why It Matters
Benedict XVI has Wikipedia articles in 30 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[60] He is known by 79 alternative names across languages and contexts.[61]
Works attributed to him include Regensburg lecture[62], an oration[63]; Summorum Pontificum[64], a motu proprio[65]; Deus Caritas Est[66], an encyclical[67], founded in 2005[68]; Introduction to Christianity[69], a written work[70]; Jesus of Nazareth: From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration[71], a written work[72]; and Lumen fidei[73], an encyclical[74], founded in 2012[75], written by Pope Francis[76]. Entities named for him include Ratzinger Prize[59].
His notable doctoral advisees include Joseph Fessio[77] and Nabil el-Khoury[78].
FAQs
Where was Benedict XVI born?
Benedict XVI was born in Birth house of Benedict XVI[1].
Where did Benedict XVI die?
Benedict XVI died in Mater Ecclesiae Monastery[2].
Who were Benedict XVI's parents?
Benedict XVI's father was Joseph Ratzinger, Sr.[11]. Benedict XVI's mother was Maria Peintner[12].
What did Benedict XVI do for work?
Benedict XVI worked as a Latin Catholic priest[3], religious writer[4], university teacher[5], philosopher[6], and transitional deacon[7].
Where did Benedict XVI go to school?
Benedict XVI was educated at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München[38] and Ducal Georgianum[39].
What awards did Benedict XVI receive?
Honors received include Commander of the Legion of Honour[41], Bavarian Order of Merit[42], Bayerische Verfassungsmedaille in Gold[43], and Stephanus Award[44].
Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.
APA4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Benedict XVI. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/benedict-xvi
BibTeX@misc{4ortxyz_benedict-xvi_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Benedict XVI}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/benedict-xvi}, note = {Accessed: 2026-10-17}}
LLM promptAccording to 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph (aggregator of Wikidata, Wikipedia, and authoritative open-data sources): Benedict XVI — https://4ort.xyz/entity/benedict-xvi (retrieved 2026-10-17)
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