Benedict XVI (1927- )

German Roman Catholic priest, pope from 2005. Appointed prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith by his predecessor Pope John Paul II in 1981, he swiftly became one of the most influential figures in the Vatican, and presided over both the funeral of John Paul II and the ensuing conclave. A respected theologian, he is strongly conservative in his outlook, and has stressed the importance of traditional Catholic doctrine in dealing with controversial issues such as abortion, homosexuality, and contraception.

Born in the small town of Marktl am Inn in Bavaria, Germany, he was conscripted into the German army in 1943 at the age of 16, but deserted in 1945 as World War II was ending. Ordained into the priesthood in 1951, he taught theology at a series of universities fom 1958 onwards, including those at Bonn and Münster. At the influential second Vatican Council 1962–1965, Ratzinger served as a theological consultant to Cardinal Frings of Cologne, Germany. He was named archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977, and after only three months was created a cardinal by Pope Paul VI.