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 1982 Event Superbowl XVI: San Francisco 49ers beat Cincinnati Bengals, 26-21 in Pontiac, Michigan 1976 Event King Charles XVI Gustaf of Sweden marries Dutchess Silvia Sommerlath 1973 Event Carl XVI Gustaf, becomes King of Sweden 1952 Birthday Giuliano Ferrara, born in Rome, Italy, activist, atheist, communist turned Centre-Right and pro-life, admired Pope Benedict XVI 1946 Birthday Karl XVI Gustav F H, King of Sweden, 1973- 1943 Birthday Silvia Sommerlath, German wife of King Carl XVI of Sweden, 1973- 1927 Birthday Pope Benedict XVI, German Clergyman 1851 Death Marie-Therese-Charlotte, d of Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, dies at 72 1846 Death Gregory XVI, Bartolomeo A Cappellari]/Mauro, Pope dies at 80 1834 Event Pope Gregory XVI's encyclical "Singulari nos" published 1832 Event Gregory XVI encyclical On liberalism and religious indifferentism 1793 Death Louis XVI, French king (1774-93), beheaded by revolutionaries at 38 1793 Event French King Louis XVI sentenced to death 1792 Event France's King Louis XVI went on trial, accused of treason 1792 Event Mobs in Paris attack palace of Louis XVI 1792 Event King Louis XVI fires French government 1791 Event France's King Louis XVI accepts constitution 1791 Event Fleeing French King Louis XVI and family captured at Varennes-en-Argonne 1791 Event King Louis XVI caught trying to escape French Revolution 1788 Event King Louis XVI calls French States and Generals together 1778 Birthday Marie-Therese-Charlotte, daughter of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette 1774 Event Louis XVI ascends to throne of France 1770 Event Marie Antoinette (14) marries future King Louis XVI (15) of France 1765 Birthday Gregory XVI, Bartolomeo A Cappellari/Mauro, Italy, Pope 1764 Birthday Elisabeth PMH, princess of France/son of king Louis XVI 1754 Birthday Louis XVI, Versailles, king of France, 1774-93, eventually guillotined
