Pope Benedict XVI

Pope Benedict XVI greets the faithful at the end of the Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Feb. 13, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI told thousands that he was resigning for "the good of the church", an extraordinary scene of a pope explaining himself to his flock that unfolded in his first appearance since dropping the bombshell announcement.

Pope Benedict XVI acknowledges the applause at the end of the Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Feb. 13, 2013.

Bishop Guido Marini, right, and an unidentified master of ceremonies adjust Pope Benedict XVI's robe during the Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Feb. 13, 2013.

Pope Benedict XVI leaves a meeting after announcing his pending resignation at the Vatican — AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano

Pope Benedict XVI announced Feb. 11, 2012 that he would resign his position as the head of the Roman Catholic Church on February 28, shocking the Christian world and even many close to him. At left, Benedict is seen leaving a meeting of Vatican cardinals where he announced his resignation in Latin, at the Vatican.

Benedict was born on April 16, 1927 in Marktl Am Inn, in Bavaria, but his father, a policeman, moved frequently and the family left when he was 2.

In his memoirs, Benedict dealt with what could have been a source of controversy had it been kept secret -- that he was enlisted in the Nazi youth movement against his will when he was 14 in 1941, when membership was compulsory. He said he was soon let out because of his studies for the priesthood. Two years later he was drafted into a Nazi anti-aircraft unit as a helper. He deserted the German army in April 1945, the waning days of the war.

Left: A photo taken in 1943 during World War II shows Joseph Ratzinger as a German Air Force assistant.

German Catholic News Agency KNA via Getty Images

Joseph Ratzinger (second right) is shown with his family; brother Georg (2nd left), father Josef (right), sister Maria (left) and mother Maria on the day of the two brothers' ordination to the priesthood July 8, 1951.

After spending several years teaching theology in Germany, Benedict was appointed bishop of Munich in 1977 and elevated to cardinal three months later by Pope Paul VI.

An April 27, 1979 file photo taken during the Evangelic Academy in Tutzing, shows Russian orthodox archbishop Wladimir Dimitrowskij (left) and German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger celebrates a mass in Rome, June 22, 2000.

Pope John Paul II salutes Cardinals Italian Giovanni Battista Re (left) and German Joseph Ratzinger at the Vatican audience hall, October 16, 2003. Cardinals from around the world descended on the Vatican for several days of celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's election.

German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger blesses the coffin of Pope John Paul II during his funeral mass in St Peter's Square at the Vatican City, April 8, 2005. Ratzinger became the new pope taking the name of Benedict XVI, April 19, 2005.

Germany's Joseph Ratzinger, the new Pope Benedict XV, appears at the window of St Peter's Basilica's main balcony after being elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church April 19, 2005 at Vatican City.

Newly-elected Pope Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedetto XVI, gestures to the crowd in St. Peter's Square April 19, 2005 in Vatican City. The 265th Pope would lead the world's 1 billion Catholics.

Germany's Joseph Ratzinger, the new Pope Benedict XVI, appears at the window of St Peter's Basilica's main balcony after being elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church April 19, 2005 at the Vatican City.

L'Osservatore Romano - Pool/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI walks in St. Paul's Cathedral on April 25, 2005 in Rome, Italy. Earlier the Pope met leaders of the Muslim community, welcoming progress in Christian-Muslim dialogue, saying the Catholic Church wanted to continue to build friendships with all other religions.

Pope Benedict XVI blesses the pilgrims and faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, as he arrives to preside over his weekly general audience, April 26, 2006. The Pope marked the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on Wednesday by issuing a plea for energy, nuclear and otherwise, to be used in the service of world peace.

Pope Benedict XVI greets former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger during a private meeting at his summer residence in Castelgandolfo, September 28, 2006.

Pope Benedict XVI meets with U.S. President George W. Bush at his private library, June 9, 2007 in Vatican City. Mr. Bush is likely to discuss issues including abortion and the war in Iraq, which the Pope openly criticized in his Easter message.

U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush escort Pope Benedict XVI on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., on April 16, 2008. Benedict XVI became just the second pope to visit the White House and the first to come here in nearly three decades.

Children hold signs welcoming Pope Benedict XVI and wishing him a happy 81st birthday at the White House during an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn April 16, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

U.S. President George W. Bush and Catholic bishops looks on as Pope Benedict XVI blows out a candle on a birthday cake to celebrate his 81st birthday April 16, 2008, at the White House in Washington, D.C.

Pope Benedict XVI speaks during a meeting with 350 bishops of the United States at the crypt church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception April 16, 2008 in Washington, D.C.

Pope Benedict XVI during his visit at Ground Zero in New York on April 20, 2008. The pope will make a historic visit to the former site of the World Trade Center and celebrate Mass in Yankee Stadium before departing New York.

Pope Benedict XVI waves farewell at the conclusion of the Mass held at Yankee Stadium April 20, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankee Stadium Mass concludes The Pontiff's visit to the United States

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he departs Yankee Stadium after saying mass on April 20, 2008 in New York.

Pope Benedict XVI blesses faithful during his weekly general audience on November 10, 2010 at the Paul VI hall at The Vatican. — Christophe Simon/AFP/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI blesses the faithful during his weekly general audience on November 10, 2010 at the Paul VI hall at The Vatican.

L'Osservatore Romano - Vatican Pool/Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI visits a church of Onna during his one-day visit to the earthquake site on April 28, 2009 in L'Aquila, Italy. Pope Benedict XVI visited the tent camp in Onna, the Collemaggio Basilica, the Student's house in L'Aquila and the Coppito School of Financial Police to bless the sites badly hit by the earthquake on April 6, 2009.

Pope Benedict XVI talks to the head of the Fire Brigades Sergio Basti as he visits the Student house in L'Aquila on April 28, 2009. The pontiff visited the region in central Italy ravaged by this month's earthquake, offering words of comfort to the survivors and calling for the rebirth of the area.

U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama walk alongside Pope Benedict XVI during an audience at the Vatican, on July 10, 2009. Mr. Obama promised to try to reduce abortions in his country during his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI, while also discussing Middle East peace efforts. Visiting together after this week's G8 summit in Italy, the two touched on an issue that deeply divides the US public and has set pro-abortion rights Democrats like the president at odds with Vatican policy.

Image provided by NASA television shows space shuttle Endeavour's tiles being inspected early Saturday morning, using both the shuttle's robot arm and an extension boom, tipped with lasers and cameras. — OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Pope Benedict XVI waves to the 12 astronauts aboard the International Space Station during a video conference, May 21, 2011, at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI waves as he boards a plane heading for Spain, on August 18, 2011 at Ciampino Rome's international airport. Pope Benedict XVI flew out of Rome heading for Madrid where he would attend the Catholic World Youth Day festival, expected to draw more than one million people from across the world.

Pope Benedict XVI meets a young faithful as he arrives to attend a Crucifixion ceremony at Cibeles Square in Madrid on August 19, 2011. Fifteen sculptures from the Spanish Holy Week tradition portrayed the various Stations of the Cross between Plaza de Cibeles and Plaza de Colon (Colombus square), an event presided over by Pope Benedict XVI at the World Youth Day.

Pope Benedict XVI kisses a baby as he leaves at the end of his general audience, in St. Peter's square at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 6, 2011.

Pope Benedict XVI mounts the saluting stand next to King Juan Carlos, right, and Queen Sofia of Spain Juan Carlos as he arrives at Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain, Thursday Aug. 18, 2011.

Pope Benedict XVI arrives in his "Popemobile" at Domplatz square in front of the Erfurter Dom cathedral on September 24, 2011 in Erfurt, Germany. The Pope later lead morning mass for tens of thousands of assembled pilgrims. The Pope was in Erfurt on the third day of a four-day visit to Germany.

Pope Benedict XVI walks a red carpet to board his plane for departure at the airport in Cotonou, Benin, on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011. At Cotonou's soccer stadium, at an open-air mass that drew thousands, Benedict ceremoniously handed over a detailed pastoral guide which articulates his spiritual vision for Africa.

Pope Benedict XVI, holding a tall, lit, white candle, enters a hushed and darkened St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican Saturday, April 7, 2012, to begin the Vatican's Easter vigil service. Except for camera flashes, the basilica was almost pitch-black as the thousands of faithful in pews awaited Benedict's arrival through the rear entrance Saturday night. Christians on Easter joyously mark their belief that Christ rose from the dead after his crucifixion. Praying at the start of the service, Benedict said Easter brings hope to the faithful.

In this March 28, 2012 photo, Pope Benedict XVI meets with Fidel Castro in Havana. The Cuban government-run newspaper Granma published a letter dated Wednesday, Oct. 17, 2012 signed by Fidel Castro, the first by the 86-year-old former president since June.

In this photo taken Wednesday, May, 23, 2012, Pope Benedict XVI, flanked by his private secretary Georg Gaenswein, top left, and his butler Paolo Gabriele arrives at St. Peter's square at the Vatican for a general audience. The Vatican has confirmed Saturday, May 26, 2012, Gabriele was arrested in an embarrassing leaks scandal. Spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said Paolo Gabriele was arrested in his home inside Vatican City with secret documents in his possession.

Pope Benedict XVI lights a candle in his private window, at the end of the unveiling ceremony of the crib in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, December 24, 2011.

Stefano Carofei/Vatican Pool via Getty Images

Pope Benedict XVI delivers his annual "State of the World" address to accredited ambassadors at the Regia Hall on January 7, 2013 in Vatican City, Vatican. During his address Pope Benedict XVI appealed for an end to the conflict in Syria which he described as being "torn apart by endless slaughter."

Pope Benedict XVI announces his pending resignation at the Vatican — AP Photo/L'Osservatore Romano

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, Pope Benedict XVI reads a document in Latin where he announces his resignation during a meeting of Vatican cardinals, at the Vatican, Feb. 11, 2013.

Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the Ash Wednesday mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Feb. 13, 2013.