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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has passed away at the age of 95, according to a statement from the Vatican.
He'll be remembered most for being the first pontiff to resign in 2013 in nearly 600 years.
Let's take a look back at his life.
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Born in 1927 as Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI endured Nazi rule.
He was ordained alongside his brother in 1951.
His passion for theology earned him the reputation of being one of the 20th century's greatest theologians.
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FELIX KOERNER SJ, Theologian, Humboldt University Berlin:
He loved books. He loved his desk, writing, reflecting, bringing in beautiful German and also in other languages his thought.
But a lonely person. He was even telling people my true friends are the books.
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In 1977, he was appointed bishop of Munich and elevated to cardinal months later.
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Seeing Benedict as an anchor of stability, in 2005 cardinals elected him as the pontiff at 78 -- the first German pope in nearly 1,000 years.
He went on to emulate the success of his predecessor -- the late Pope John Paul II.
In 2010, he made his first papal state visit to Britain. That's where he met with the Queen and other politicians.
But the darker side of his legacy cannot be ignored.
He was criticised for being soft on Holocaust deniers.
He was also hounded by sex abuse scandals involving paedophile priests and financial scandal.
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LUKE COPPEN, Senior Correspondent, The Pillar:
The No. 1 challenge for Pope Benedict was the abuse crisis which was gaining in speed and spreading all over the world during his pontificate.
He did take several steps to begin to respond to that, but his critics say he didn't do enough in the time that he was the Pope.
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It was in February 2013 when Benedict, dogged by worsening health and various scandals, resigned -- the first in 600 years.
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In his farewell address, he thanked the faithful and acknowledged his mistakes.
After retirement, he insisted on wearing white and retaining his Pope Emeritus title -- a move that, critics say, threatened unity in the church.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted his well-wishes and called Benedict a great theologian.
Benedict's death comes days after Pope Francis called for prayers for his predecessor.
His body will lie in state in St. Peter's Basilica starting Monday where Catholics can pay their final respects.
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