Pope Benedict XVI Has Died At 95

Pope Benedict XVI, who served as the head of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013, has passed away at the age of 95.

During his papacy, one of the major challenges faced by Benedict was the issue of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. He took steps to address this crisis by establishing procedures to report and punish clergy accused of abuse. However, some criticized him for not being transparent enough in publicizing the Vatican’s investigations, thereby allowing accusations to remain concealed by dioceses.

In addition to the sexual abuse scandal, Benedict’s time as pope was marked by rumors of corruption and secret groups within the Holy See. These issues climaxed in the “Vatileaks” scandal in 2012.

In a surprising announcement on February 10, 2013, Benedict declared his resignation from the papacy, attributing his decision to his advancing age. Following his retirement, he sought to maintain a low profile, preferring to be referred to as “Father Benedict” rather than by his papal title. Nevertheless, he did make public appearances at significant theological events.

Pope Benedict XVI lived a long life, passing away at the age of 95, thus becoming the longest-living pope in history.