Views of Pope Benedict’s Birthplace

Introduction
The former Catholic cardinal, Joseph Ratzinger, became Pope Benedict XVI (Papst Benedikt XVI) in April 2005. In February 2013 he became the first pope in almost 600 years to resign rather than die in office. He thus became something rare in the history of the Church: a pope emeritus. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI died in retirement at the Vatican on Saturday, 31 December 2022 at the age of 95.

The future pope was born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger (1927-2022) in his family’s home in the small Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn on 16 April 1927. His father was a policeman. The house in which he was born is now a museum. (Photos below.) The infant Ratzinger only lived in Marktl for about two years, but the town made him an honorary citizen (Ehrenbürger) in 1997. The pope paid an official 30-minute visit to Marktl am Inn in September 2006.

Pope Benedict XVI was the first Bavarian to become pope since Pope Gregory V (born Bruno of Carinthia/Bruno von Kärnten), who only served for three years as pope, from 996 to 999. Joseph Ratzinger’s road to the papacy was long and not without controversy. After being ordained as a priest in 1951 in his native Bavaria, Ratzinger embarked on an academic career and established himself as a highly regarded theologian.

Pope Francis (left) and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI together in the Mater Ecclesiae monastery in the Vatican where Benedict XVI resides. PHOTO: Vatican Media

At the age of 31, in 1958, he was appointed a full professor. Following many years as a professor of theology at several German universities, Ratzinger was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising (1977-1982) and created a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1977. In his role as Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF, 1981-2004), after 2001, Ratzinger had the responsibility of dealing with sexual abuse cases. In some cases, before and after becoming pope, he was accused of failing to adequately deal with this issue. In February 2022, in response to a report written by a German law firm, former Pope Benedict XVI admitted errors were made in sexual abuse cases when he was still archbishop, but he denied any personal wrongdoing.

On 11 February 2013, the Vatican confirmed that Benedict XVI would resign the papacy as of 28 February 2013, due to his advanced age. He became the first pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415. Upon his resignation, the pope emeritus took a helicopter to the papal summer residence of Castel Gandolfo. He would remain there until the completion of the renovation of his retirement home, the Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in the Vatican Gardens near St. Peter’s, formerly home to 12 nuns, where he moved on 2 May 2013.

Our photo gallery below contains views of the house and the museum that is now in Marktl am Inn. Note: The museum is closed from 1 November to Easter Monday. All of the Marktl photos below were taken in summer 2013.

PHOTO 1

Marktl am Inn: The main street of Marktl leads directly to the house where Pope Benedict XVI was born in 1927 – the white house with brown window shutters. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

PHOTO 2

Marktl am Inn: The house in which Pope Benedict XVI was born in 1927 is now a museum devoted to his life and career. The bronze column (die Benediktsäule) was erected in 2006 in honor of the pope’s visit to Marktl in September of that year. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

PHOTO 3

Marktl am Inn: A marker next to the former entrance tells us that Pope Benedict XVI was born here on 16 April 1927 and baptized as Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, and that he was elected pope on 19 April 2005. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

PHOTO 4

Marktl am Inn: In this room of the museum, we see a robe worn by Pope Benedict XVI as well as his coat of arms. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

PHOTO 5

Marktl am Inn: In another room of the museum there is a video display (left) about the pope’s life. In the glass case we see a scepter once used by Pope Benedict XVI, plus other artifacts. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

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