1981-11-25 Pope John Paul II names Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (later Benedict XVI) "Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith"
2005-04-19 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger elected Pope Benedict XVI on the second day of the Papal conclave.
2005-04-24 Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger is inaugurated as the 265th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church taking the name Pope Benedict XVI.
2005-05-14 Pope Benedict XVI observes his first beatification, elevating Blessed Marianne of Molokai on the road to canonization into sainthood
2006-03-24 Pope Benedict XVI adds 15 men to the College of Cardinals, in the first consistory of his Pontificate
2007-05-11 Pope Benedict XVI canonizes the first Brazilian-born saint, Frei Galvão
2007-07-07 Pope Benedict XVI issues the Apostolic Letter Summorum Pontificum, removing restrictions on celebrating the old Tridentine Mass
2007-09-14 Restrictions on the traditional Latin Mass are officially removed in the Roman Catholic Church as Pope Benedict XVI's motu proprio Summorum Pontificum takes effect.
2008-04-16 Start of Papal Journey of Pope Benedict XVI to the United States
2009-01-24 Pope Benedict XVI rescinds the excommunications of four bishops consecrated without papal consent in 1988 by Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre
2010-10-17 Brother André is the first Canadian to be canonized post Federation by Pope Benedict XVI
2012-04-08 Pope Benedict XVI calls for an end to Syrian blood shed in papal Easter message
2012-05-10 Pope Benedict XVI signs decree of canonization of Benedictine nun and composer Hildegard von Bingen, completing sainthood process started in 1228
2012-05-26 Pope Benedict XVI's butler is arrested for allegedly leaking confidential documents
2012-10-06 Paolo Gabriele, Pope Benedict XVI's butler, is found guilty of leaking confidential documents and is sentenced to 18 months imprisonment
2012-10-21 Kateri Tekakwitha canonized as the 1st Native American saint by Pope Benedict XVI
2013-02-11 Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation from February 28, the first pope to resign since 1415
2013-02-27 Pope Benedict XVI presents his farewell address to Vatican City
2013-03-04 The Papal Conclave begins to select the successor of Pope Benedict XVI
2019-04-11 Ex-Pope Benedict XVI claims Catholic sexual abuse caused in part by 1960s sexual revolution
2021-01-14Pope Francis, 84, and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine
2023-01-05 Funeral for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI presided over by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Basilica, Rome
Alexander VII
Innocent IV
John XXIII
Leo X
Paul IV
Pius VI