Five things you should know about former pope Benedict
STORY: 5 things you should know about former pope Benedict
1.
Born Joseph Ratzinger, he was the first German pope in 1,000 years
He was elected to succeed Pope John Paul II on April 19, 2005
2.
He then resigned in 2013, making him the first pontiff to do so in 600 years
He said he stood down because of poor health
3.
Benedict chose to wear white and be known
as 'pope emeritus' after his retirement
He became a lightning rod for
conservatives who opposed Pope Francis
4.
The 2012 "Vatileaks" scandal helped unravel his papacy
Paolo Gabriele, his butler, leaked secret documents
that revealed corruption and feuding within the Vatican
5.
He's credited with jump starting the process
of disciplining or defrocking predator priests
He ordered an inquiry into abuse in Ireland,
leading to the resignation of several bishops
