Information on His Holiness Pope Benedict the Sixteenth
Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI, was born at Marktl am Inn, near the episcopal city of Passau in the German province of Bavaria, on April 16, 1927. His father was descended from a farming family, but himself worked as a policeman; before marriage, his mother had worked as a cook. Joseph was raised and educated in Traunstein, a small village near Austria, in the vicinity of Salzburg. As a young man, he experienced first hand the persecution of the Catholic Church by the German Nazis, but towards the end of the war, when military enrollment became compulsory in Germany, he enrolled in an anti-aircraft corps of the German army.
Between 1946 and 1951, he completed the obligatory seminary study of philosophy and theology, and was ordained to the priesthood on 29 June 1951. After several years holding various teaching positions, and obtaining his doctorate and "Habilitation" (permission to teach at the University level), he participated in the Second Vatican Council as a theological advisor to the Archbishop of Cologne..
In 1977, he was named Archbishop of Munich and Freising by Pope Paul VI, and ordained a bishop on May 28. Very shortly thereafter he was made a Cardinal, and as such, participated in the two Papal elections that took place in the year 1978. In 1981, Pope John Paul II named him Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, and President of both the Pontifical Biblical Commission and of the International Theological Commission; as such, he became the principal guardian of the official teaching of the Catholic Faith. He was therefore also chosen to head the committee that produced the new Catechism of the Catholic Church between 1986 and 1992. In 1998 he was elected by his fellow Cardinals to be the Vice-Dean of the College of Cardinals, and in 2002 he became the Dean. In addition to these responsabilities, Cardinal Ratzinger participated in the activities of many different departments of the Roman Curia, the collection of institutions that govern the Catholic Church..
On April 19th, 2005, in the conclave following the death of Pope John Paul II, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope on the fourth ballot, the 265th successor to the throne of Saint Peter..
Before his election as Pope, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger was not only the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, but also one of the most respected and prolific theologians of our times. The books which he wrote before becoming Pope are available from Ignatius Press in San Francisco.
INFORMATION ON HIS HOLINESS POPE JOHN PAUL THE SECOND
Official biography of Pope John Paul II
The tomb of Pope John Paul II, who died on April 2, 2005, is in the space in the Vatican Grottoes which was formerly occupied by the tomb of Blessed Pope John XXIII. Those who come to St. Peter's during the first hour of the day, (7-8 am), can descend to the Grottoes from the Basilica itself, via one of the four staircases in the vicinity of the main altar, (usually, the one in St. Andrew's pillar). The entrances and passages are set up in such a way that one automatically passes by the tomb of Pope John Paul.
After the first hour of the day, those who wish to visit the tomb are directed to a special entrance on the right side of the Basilica, after they pass through security and ascend the main staircase. Signs are posted directing visitors to the location of the tomb, and one can also ask the guards for directions.
John Paul's tomb is listed as number 27 on this map of the Grottos of St. Peter's.