“I no longer wield the power of the office for the government of the church, but in the service of prayer I remain, so to speak, within St. Peter's bounds. St. Benedict, whose name I bear as pope, shall be a great example in this for me. He showed us the way to a life which, active or passive, belongs wholly to the work of God.”

German Catholic theologian and pontiff of the 21st century, Benedict XVI served as Pope from 2005 to 2013. His papacy was marked by a deep engagement with tradition, a nuanced approach to modernity, and a focus on dialogue with other faiths. He was also a scholar and philosopher before his election, known for his work on early Christianity and the relationship between faith and reason.