Benedict XVI Latest News

Read the latest news regarding the late Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, his life, and his legacy.

The Latest

Pope Francis greets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Nov. 28, 2020. Credit: Vatican Media.

Benedict XVI ‘delighted’ by Year of St. Joseph proclaimed by Pope Francis

Mar 31, 2021

In a new interview, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has expressed delight at the Year of St. Joseph declared by Pope... Read more

Pope Francis greets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Nov. 28, 2020. Credit: Vatican Media.

Benedict XVI addresses resignation conspiracy theories, Iraq, and Biden in new interview

Mar 1, 2021

By CNA Staff

Benedict XVI addressed conspiracy theories about his resignation as pope, Pope Francis’ trip to Iraq, and Joe Biden in an... Read more

Pope Francis greets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Nov. 28, 2020. Credit: Vatican Media.

Pope Francis and Benedict XVI receive second dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Feb 5, 2021

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI have both received their second and final dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, a... Read more

Pope Francis greets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Nov. 28, 2020. Credit: Vatican Media.

Pope Francis and Benedict XVI receive first dose of COVID-19 vaccine

Jan 14, 2021

Pope Francis and Pope emeritus Benedict XVI have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, the Vatican confirmed on... Read more

Cardinal Gerhard Müller at a penance service in St. Peter's Basilica on March 29, 2019. Credit: Daniel Ibáñez/CNA.

Cardinal Müller: Media image of ‘two popes’ threatens papacy as a ‘principle of unity’

Jan 12, 2021

By Courtney Mares

The former head of the Vatican’s doctrinal office has said that today’s media environment is undermining theological truths that are... Read more

Pope Francis greets Pope emeritus Benedict XVI at the Vatican’s Mater Ecclesiae Monastery on Nov. 28, 2020. Credit: Vatican Media.

Benedict XVI to receive COVID-19 vaccine

Jan 12, 2021

By CNA Staff

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI will receive the coronavirus vaccine as soon as it is available, his personal secretary said Tuesday. Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein | Photo: Daniel Ibañez - EWTN

Pope Benedict’s secretary reflects on awful 2020 with German Magazine 

Jan 1, 2021

Archbishop Georg Gänswein has spoken about life with Pope emeritus Benedict XVI and a personally challenging year. "I'm grateful to... Read more

Benedict XVI addresses new cardinals at the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery at the Vatican on Nov. 28, 2020.

Benedict XVI has not lost his voice, says Archbishop Gänswein

Dec 4, 2020

Archbishop Georg Gänswein has denied media reports that Benedict XVI has lost his voice.  Read more

Paolo Gabriele sits in front of Pope Benedict XVI in the popemobile in St. Peter's Square Oct. 24, 2011.

Benedict XVI’s former 'Vatileaks' butler Paolo Gabriele dies at age 54

Nov 24, 2020

The papal butler who was pardoned by Benedict XVI for his role in the “Vatileaks” affair has died at the... Read more

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, pictured in Rome Feb. 24, 2019.

Cardinal Marx dissolves embattled Catholic community in Munich archdiocese

Nov 20, 2020

Cardinal Reinhard Marx has dissolved an embattled Catholic community in his archdiocese of Munich and Freising.  Read more

Pope Benedict XVI, pictured on Aug. 28, 2010.

Benedict XVI distances himself from embattled Catholic community

Oct 25, 2020

Benedict XVI has distanced himself from a Catholic community with which he had maintained close ties for decades.   Read more

Professor Tracey Rowland, St John Paul II Chair in Theology at the University of Notre Dame (Australia).

Australian professor and French philosopher win Ratzinger Prize

Oct 2, 2020

An Australian professor and a French philosopher were named the winners of this year’s Ratzinger Prize Oct. 1.  Read more

Fr. Paschal Uche at his ordination in Brentwood Cathedral, Essex, England, Aug. 1, 2020. Ordination photo

Young Catholic who greeted Benedict XVI in Britain becomes a priest

Sep 18, 2020

Ten years ago, Paschal Uche greeted Pope Benedict XVI on behalf of young people in his country. Today, he is... Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, pictured March 12, 2016.

Archbishop Gänswein ‘better’ and grateful for prayers after hospitalization

Sep 17, 2020

Archbishop Georg Gänswein is expected to leave hospital Thursday.   Read more

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, pictured March 27, 2019.

Archbishop Gänswein hospitalized ‘with severe kidney problems’

Sep 11, 2020

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, prefect of the papal household and personal secretary to Benedict XVI, has been hospitalized in Rome.   Read more

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, pictured in St. Peter's Basilica Oct. 3, 2015.

Cardinal Parolin stresses ‘spiritual consonance’ between Pope Francis and Benedict XVI

Sep 1, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Cardinal Pietro Parolin has written an introduction to a book describing the continuity between Pope Francis and his predecessor Pope... Read more

Benedict XVI prepares to board a plane at Munich airport, June 22, 2020.

Archbishop Gänswein: Benedict XVI’s 'illness is subsiding'

Aug 11, 2020

By Courtney Mares

Benedict XVI’s personal secretary Archbishop Georg Gänswein has said that the pope emeritus’ illness is “subsiding.”  Read more

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI.

Vatican: Benedict XVI health 'not serious' concern

Aug 3, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

The Vatican said Monday the health problems of Benedict XVI are not serious, though the pope emeritus is suffering from... Read more

Benedict XVI prepares to board a plane at Munich airport, June 22, 2020.

Benedict XVI is ill since visit to Germany

Aug 3, 2020

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI is sick with a bacterial infection and “extremely fail,” according to a German newspaper report.  Read more

Pope Benedict XVI on Aug. 28, 2010.

Benedict XVI praises “glorious music” of Bach in festival message

Jul 28, 2020

Pope emeritus Benedict XVI has praised the “glorious music” of Johann Sebastian Bach in a message to a festival in... Read more