40 moments

1. Birth at the Ratzinger home

   1927-04-16 · 11 Schulstraße, Marktl am Inn, Bavaria, Germany

   Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born at his parents' home in Marktl, Bavaria.

2. Minor-seminary enrollment

   1939-01-01 · Traunstein, Bavaria, Germany

   At age 12, Ratzinger enrolled in the minor seminary at Traunstein. The source supports the year but not a more precise enrollment date.

3. Anti-aircraft posting at Ludwigsfeld

   1943-01-01 · Ludwigsfeld, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

   Drafted into the Luftwaffenhelfer program, Ratzinger was first posted with classmates to Ludwigsfeld to guard a BMW aircraft-engine plant. The source gives the year 1943 but no more precise date.

4. Anti-aircraft posting at Unterföhring

   1943-01-01 · Unterföhring, Bavaria, Germany

   Ratzinger's Luftwaffenhelfer unit was subsequently sent to Unterföhring, northwest of Munich. The source gives the year 1943 but no more precise date.

5. Brief posting at Innsbruck

   1943-01-01 · Innsbruck, Tyrol, Austria

   Ratzinger was briefly posted to Innsbruck while serving in the Luftwaffenhelfer program. The source gives the year 1943 but no more precise date.

6. Telephone post at Gilching air base

   1943-01-01 · Gilching, Bavaria, Germany

   At Gilching, Ratzinger served at a telephone communications post protecting a jet-fighter base. The source gives the year 1943 but no more precise date.

7. Reich Labour Service near the Hungarian border

   1944-01-01 · Austria-Hungary border area

   After his Luftwaffenhelfer class was released, Ratzinger was posted to the Austrian area near the Hungarian border to construct anti-tank defenses. Representative coordinate for a border area; the source gives no exact locality or posting date.

8. Infantry assignment in Traunstein

   1944-11-01 · Traunstein, Bavaria, Germany

   After release from labor service, Ratzinger returned home and was drafted into the German army at Munich, then assigned to infantry barracks in Traunstein. The unit was released on 20 November 1944; the source does not date the subsequent assignment more precisely than late 1944.

9. Internment at Neu-Ulm

   1945-01-01 · Neu-Ulm, Bavaria, Germany

   Following the collapse of his unit and return to Traunstein, Ratzinger was held by U.S. forces in a prisoner-of-war camp at Neu-Ulm. The source gives 1945 but not the dates of confinement at Neu-Ulm.

10. Internment at Bad Aibling airfield

    1945-05-08 · Fliegerhorst Bad Aibling, Bad Aibling, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger was then interned at Fliegerhorst Bad Aibling on Victory in Europe Day. Victory in Europe Day in Europe was 8 May 1945.

11. Return to Saint Michael Seminary

    1945-11-01 · Saint Michael Seminary, Traunstein, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger and his brother Georg entered Saint Michael Seminary in Traunstein after the war. The source supports month precision only.

12. Philosophy and theology studies

    1946-01-01 · Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger began the 1946–1951 period of philosophy and theology study in Munich and Freising. This card uses the Munich institution as one of two documented study locations for a multi-year period.

13. Assistant pastor at St. Martin

    1951-01-01 · St. Martin Parish, Moosach, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger began his pastoral career as assistant pastor at the parish of St. Martin in Munich's Moosach district.

14. First Mass

    1951-01-01 · St. Oswald's Church, Traunstein, Bavaria, Germany

    Later in the summer after ordination, Ratzinger celebrated his first Mass at St. Oswald's Church in Traunstein. The source supports only the year and season.

15. Priestly ordination

    1951-06-29 · Freising Cathedral, Freising, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger was ordained to the priesthood with his brother Georg at Freising Cathedral by Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber.

16. Doctorate at Ludwig Maximilian University

    1953-01-01 · Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger earned a Doctor of Theology degree from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich for his dissertation on Augustine's doctrine of the Church. The degree-awarding institution establishes the place at institutional rather than building precision.

17. Professor at Freising College

    1958-01-01 · Freising, Bavaria, Germany

    After completing his habilitation, Ratzinger became a professor at Freising College. The exact college building is not identified in the source.

18. Professor at the University of Bonn

    1959-01-01 · University of Bonn, Bonn, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

    Ratzinger became a professor at the University of Bonn and delivered his inaugural lecture there.

19. Move to the University of Münster

    1963-01-01 · University of Münster, Münster, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

    Ratzinger moved from Bonn to the University of Münster during his academic career.

20. Chair in dogmatic theology

    1966-01-01 · University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany

    Ratzinger was appointed to a chair in dogmatic theology at the University of Tübingen.

21. Return to Bavaria and Regensburg

    1969-01-01 · University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger returned to Bavaria for a professorship at the University of Regensburg and later co-founded the theological journal Communio.

22. Episcopal consecration

    1977-05-28 · Frauenkirche, Munich, Bavaria, Germany

    Ratzinger was consecrated bishop after appointment as Archbishop of Munich and Freising.

23. Roman curial prefecture

    1981-11-25 · Vatican City

    Pope John Paul II named Ratzinger Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, beginning the long Roman phase of his career. The appointment is directly sourced; Vatican City is used as the defensible institutional headquarters coordinate for the Roman Curia office.

24. Papal election

    2005-04-19 · Sistine Chapel, Vatican City

    Ratzinger was elected pope on the second day of the 2005 conclave and chose the name Benedict XVI. The election occurred during the papal conclave; the Sistine Chapel coordinate is the established conclave venue.

25. Inauguration Mass

    2005-04-24 · St. Peter's Square, Vatican City

    

    Benedict celebrated his papal inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square and received the pallium and Ring of the Fisherman.

26. World Youth Day visit

    2005-08-18 · Cologne Cathedral, Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

    Benedict arrived in Germany for World Youth Day in Cologne, visiting Cologne Cathedral and meeting civic and religious leaders. The date records arrival in Germany; the coordinate identifies the specifically documented Cologne Cathedral visit during that journey.

27. Auschwitz-Birkenau prayer

    2006-05-28 · Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial, Oświęcim, Poland

    At the end of his Polish journey, Benedict prayed at the former Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau.

28. Visit to Istanbul

    2006-11-29 · Patriarchal Church of Saint George, Istanbul, Turkey

    During his Turkey journey, Benedict visited the House of the Virgin Mary near Selçuk and then prayed with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I in Istanbul. The source explicitly dates the preceding Selçuk visit to 29 November 2006; Istanbul activities followed during the same itinerary.

29. Brazilian canonization Mass

    2007-05-01 · São Paulo, Brazil

    Benedict visited São Paulo and Aparecida; in São Paulo he canonized Friar Antônio Galvão before a large congregation. The source supports month, but not a day, for the Brazil journey.

30. United States journey

    2008-04-15 · White House, Washington, D.C., United States

    

    Benedict began a six-day visit to the United States that included Washington meetings, an address to the UN in New York, public Masses, and a Ground Zero visit.

31. World Youth Day in Sydney

    2008-07-20 · Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

    

    Benedict attended World Youth Day in Sydney and celebrated its open-air closing Mass at Randwick Racecourse.

32. Middle East arrival

    2009-05-08 · Amman, Jordan

    Benedict arrived in Amman to begin his journey through Jordan, Israel, and Palestine.

33. Fátima pilgrimage

    2010-05-13 · Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima, Fátima, Portugal

    During his Portugal visit, Benedict presided over religious ceremonies at the Marian Sanctuary of Fátima.

34. Consecration of Sagrada Família

    2010-11-07 · Basílica de la Sagrada Família, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain

    Benedict visited Barcelona and consecrated the Sagrada Família church.

35. State visit to Berlin

    2011-09-22 · Berlin Tegel Airport, Berlin, Germany

    Benedict made his first papal state visit to Germany, landing at Tegel Airport before meetings and an address to the German Parliament.

36. Arrival in León, Guanajuato

    2012-03-23 · León, Guanajuato, Mexico

    Benedict arrived in León, Guanajuato, beginning his final international journey as pope, which continued to Cuba.

37. Retirement at Castel Gandolfo

    2013-02-28 · Apostolic Palace of Castel Gandolfo, Lazio, Italy

    On the day his papacy ended, Benedict flew by helicopter to the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo, where he remained pending completion of his retirement residence.

38. Move to Mater Ecclesiae

    2013-05-02 · Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, Vatican City

    Benedict moved into the renovated Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens, which became his retirement residence.

39. Final visit to Georg Ratzinger

    2020-06-01 · Bavaria, Germany

    Benedict made his final journey to Germany to visit his dying brother Georg Ratzinger in Bavaria. The source identifies Germany; Bavaria is supported by the linked death-and-funeral article. Coordinate is a representative point for Bavaria because no exact visit site is specified.

40. Death at Mater Ecclesiae

    2022-12-31 · Mater Ecclesiae Monastery, Vatican City

    Benedict XVI died at age 95 in his Vatican retirement residence, Mater Ecclesiae Monastery.