2013 Event Before celebrating Christmas Mass at Pope Francis pays a visit to Pope Benedict XVI at his retirement home 2013 Event Pope Francis canonizes a record-breaking number of new Catholic Church saints; Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI submitted the 813 'Martyrs of Otranto' who were beheaded by Ottoman soldiers for refusing to convert to Islam 2013 Event Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI returns to live in Vatican City the Mater Ecclesiae two months after resigning as Pope 2013 Event In Rome, Italy, Roman Catholic Cardinals meet in a conclave to appoint a successor to Pope Benedict XVI 2013 Event More than 100 Catholic cardinals meet in Rome, Italy, to begin the process of selecting the successor to Pope Benedict XVI 2013 Event At Vatican City, Pope Benedict XVI delivers his farewell address 2013 Event Citing frail health, Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation effective February 28, 2013; he is the first Pope to resign since Pope Gregory XII in 1415 2012 Event At St. Peter's Square in Vatican City, Rome, Pope Benedict XVI delivers the annual Christmas Message and holds traditional Mass at St. Peters Basilica 2012 Event Seven new saints are canonized by Pope Benedict XVI, including Anna Schaffer, Kateri Tekakwitha, Marianne Cope and Pedro Calungsod 2012 Event Pope Benedict XVI adds Arabic to the number of languages broadcasting the weekly Vatican address 2012 Event Pope Benedict XVI visits Lebanon 2012 Event Pope Benedict XVI's former butler receives orders from the Vatican to stand trial for his alleged involvement in leading allegations of corruption in the Holy See 2012 Event Salvatore J. Cordileone is appointed the ninth Metropolitan Archbishop of San Francisco by Pope Benedict XVI 2012 Event Fox News reporter and Opus Dei member Greg Burke is selected by Pope Benedict XVI as secretariat of state 2012 Event The Vatican confirms that Pope Benedict XVI's butler was arrested for allegedly leading confidential documents 2012 Event In Mexico, thousands in Guanajuato, come out to greet Pope Benedict XVI at the start of his first visit to Spanish-speaking Latin America 2012 Event Pope Benedict XVI says Cuba needs to find ways to move away from Communism, and that he will help them find a peaceful way to make the transition 2012 Event An internal investigation is launched by Pope Benedict XVI involving leaks of confidential documents that allege corruption, financial mismanagement and power struggles among senior church officials 2012 Event Pope Benedict XVI announces seven new saints - including American saint Kateri Tekakwitha - and appoints 22 new cardinals 2011 Event The annual Christmas message is delivered by Pope Benedict XVI in St. Peter's Square, Vatican City 2011 Event Pope Benedict XVI begins his state visit to Germany 2011 Event Pope Benedict XVI announces the launch of a new Vatican website, news.va; he also performs the first tweet ever made by a pope 2011 Event Pope Benedict XVI announces Roman Catholic bishops must obey a papal order allowing priests to say the old-style Tridentine Mass 2011 Event Pope Benedict XVI performs Easter Mass at St. Peter's Square in Vatican City; he calls for dialogue and diplomacy to end Libya's unrest 2011 Event The Pope, Benedict XVI, becomes the first pontiff to participate in a televised interview session, pre-recorded for Italian television 2011 Event In his book 'Jesus of Nazareth Part II', Pope Benedict XVI exonerates the Jewish people for the responsibility of the death of Jesus 2011 Event Pope Benedict XVI urges Pakistan to repeal its blasphemy law whereby those who insult the Prophet Muhammed receive the death penalty 2010 Event Spain protests against the visit of Pope Benedict XVI 2010 Event Australia's first saint, Mary MacKillop, is canonized by Pope Benedict XVI at Saint Peter's Square 2010 Event Pope Benedict XVI celebrates open-air Mass at Fatima, Portugal with over 500,000 pilgrims attending from 35 nations including Vietnam, China and India 2006 Event Pope Benedict XVI quotes a criticism of the Islamic faith leading to mass protests 2005 Event Pope Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, becomes the 265th pope 1985 Death Edmond O'Brien, actor (Sam Benedict), dies of Alzheimer's at 69 1984 Death Richard Benedict, actor (Okinawa), dies at 64 of a heart attack 1981 Birthday Jonny Lang, born in Fargo, North Dakota, born Jon Gordon Langseth, Jr., singer, songwriter, guitarist, rock, gospel, blues musician, plays Benedict guitars, Fender Telecaster Thinline, voice sounds like veteran blues singer, toured with Sting, performed for President Bill Clinton 1952 Birthday Giuliano Ferrara, born in Rome, Italy, activist, atheist, communist turned Centre-Right and pro-life, admired Pope Benedict XVI 1948 Death Ruth Benedict, anthropoligst, dies 1947 Birthday Nick Benedict, born in Los Angeles, California, actor, Pistol-Birth of a Legend 1944 Birthday Dirk Benedict, born in Helena, Montana, actor on A-Team, Battlestar Galactica 1938 Birthday Paul Benedict, Silver City, New Mexico, actor, Harry-Jeffersons 1927 Birthday Pope Benedict XVI, German Clergyman 1921 Event Pope Benedict XV encyclical "On Dante" 1915 Birthday Edmond O'Brien, New York City, actor, Sam Benedict, Johnny Midnight 1914 Event Pope Benedict XV calls for peace 1914 Event Cardinal Giacome della Chiesa becomes Pope Benedict XV 1906 Birthday Benedict Vilakazi, South Africa, poet/educator, Zulu-English Dictionary 1887 Birthday Ruth Benedict, anthropoligist 1887 Birthday Ruth Benedict, U.S., anthropologist, Patterns of Culture 1885 Death Julius Benedict, composer (Protoghesi), dies at 80 1876 Birthday John Elicius Benedict B P Quick Carrington Dwyer, cricketer, Sussex 1873 Death Benedict Augustin Morel, psychologist (dementia praecox), dies at 63 1862 Event Berlioz' opera "Beatrice et Benedict," premieres in Baden-Baden 1854 Birthday Benedict XV, Giacomo PGB marques della Chiessa, 258th Pope, 1914-22 1809 Birthday Benedict Augustin Morel, Vienna, French psychologist, dementia praecox 1807 Death Henry Benedict Stuart, Italian Statesman 1804 Birthday Julius Benedict, Stuttgart Germany, opera composer, Protoghesi 1801 Death Benedict Arnold, Revolutionary War general, dies in London 1781 Event British naval expedition led by Benedict Arnold burns Richmond, Va 1780 Event Benedict Arnold joins the British 1780 Event British Major John Andre reveals Benedict Arnold's plot to betray West Pt 1780 Event Benedict Arnold gives British Major Andre plans to West Point 1779 Event Benedict Arnold court-martialed for improper conduct 1758 Death Benedict XIV, Prospero L Lambertini, Pope (1740-58), dies at 83 1741 Event Pope Benedict XIV encyclical forbidding traffic in alms 1741 Birthday Benedict Arnold, general and traitor, U.S. revolution 1741 Birthday Benedict Arnold, U.S. general turn traitor, Revolutionary War 1730 Death Benedict XIII, Pietro F Orsini, Pope (1724-30), dies at 81 1725 Birthday Henry Benedict Stuart, Italian Statesman 1694 Birthday Joseph Joachim Benedict Munster, composer 1693 Death Benedict Schultheiss, composer, dies at 39 1675 Birthday Benedict XIV, Prospero L Lambertini, Italy, Pope, 1740-58 1653 Birthday Benedict Schultheiss, composer 1649 Birthday Benedict XIII, Pierfrancesco Orsini, Italy, 245th pope, 1724 - 1730 1632 Birthday Baruch "Benedict" de Spinoza, Amsterdam, rationalist philosopher 1632 Birthday Baruch Benedict de Spinoza, Philosopher 1610 Death Benedict van Canfield, William Fish, English missionary, dies 1423 Death Benedict XIII, Pedro the Luna, Spanish Pope (1394-1423), dies 1342 Death Benedict XII, Jacques Fournier, Pope (1334-42), dies 1304 Death Benedict XI, Niccolo Boccasini, Pope (1303-04), dies [poisoned] 1024 Death Benedict VIII, Theophylactus van Tusculum, Pope (1012-24), dies 1014 Event Pope Benedict VIII crowns Henry II, Roman German emperor 983 Death Benedict VI, Italian Pope (974-83), dies 858 Event Nicolaas I succeeds Benedict III as pope 858 Event Benedict III ends his reign as Catholic Pope 858 Death Benedict III, Italian Pope (855-58), dies 855 Event Benedict III begins his reign as Catholic Pope 821 Death Benedict of Aniane, saint, dies 689 Death Benedict Biscop, English saint, dies 685 Event St. Benedict II ends his reign as Catholic Pope 685 Death Benedict II, Italian Pope (683-85), dies 684 Event St. Benedict II begins his reign as Catholic Pope 579 Event Benedict I ends his reign as Catholic Pope 579 Death Benedict I, Italian Pope (575-79), dies 575 Event Benedict I begins his reign as Catholic Pope
