105-510: Stephen (and by extension 'reward, honor, renown, fame', often given as a title rather than as a name; c. AD 5 – c. 34) is traditionally venerated as the protomartyr or first martyr of Christianity . According to the Acts of the Apostles , he was a deacon in the early church at Jerusalem who angered members of various synagogues by his teachings. Accused of blasphemy at his trial, he made
210-712: A ceremony held at the Vatican on 3 June 2007. Preca is the first Maltese saint since the country's conversion to Christianity in A.D. 60 when St. Paul converted the inhabitants. In October 2008, the following canonizations took place: Alphonsa of the Immaculate Conception of India, Gaetano Errico , Narcisa de Jesus Martillo Moran , and Maria Bernarda Bütler . In April 2009, the Pope canonized Arcangelo Tadini , Bernardo Tolomei , Nuno Álvares Pereira , Geltrude Comensoli , and Caterina Volpicelli . In October of
315-464: A child. He recalled: "at the moment the elderly Archbishop laid his hands on me, a little bird – perhaps a lark – flew up from the altar in the high cathedral and trilled a little joyful song". He celebrated his first Mass later that summer in Traunstein, at St. Oswald's Church. Ratzinger's 1953 dissertation was on Augustine of Hippo and was titled The People and
420-538: A departure from traditional Catholic teachings. Despite his reformist bent, his views increasingly came to contrast with the liberal ideas gaining currency in theological circles. He was invited by Rev. Theodore Hesburgh to join the theology faculty at the University of Notre Dame , but declined on grounds that his English was not good enough. Some voices, among them Küng, deemed this period in Ratzinger's life
525-399: A highly regarded theologian by the late 1950s. He was appointed a full professor in 1958 at the age of 31. After a long career as a professor of theology at several German universities, he was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising and created a cardinal by Pope Paul VI in 1977, an unusual promotion for someone with little pastoral experience. In 1981, he was appointed Prefect of
630-431: A hundredfold in return. Yes, open, open wide the doors to Christ – and you will find true life. "Friendship with Jesus Christ" was a frequent theme of Benedict's preaching. He stressed that on this intimate friendship, "everything depends". He also said: "We are all called to open ourselves to this friendship with God ... speaking to Him as to a friend, the only One who can make the world both good and happy ... That
735-803: A mass that marked the conclusion of the General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops and the Year of the Eucharist . Benedict canonized Bishop Rafael Guízar y Valencia , Théodore Guérin , Filippo Smaldone , and Rosa Venerini on 15 October 2006. During his visit to Brazil in 2007, Benedict presided over the canonization of Frei Galvão on 11 May, while George Preca , founder of the Malta-based MUSEUM , Szymon of Lipnica , Charles of Mount Argus , and Marie-Eugénie de Jésus were canonized in
840-534: A miniature church building. Stephen is often shown as a young, beardless man with a tonsure , wearing a deacon's vestments . Stephen is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as one of the Seven Deacons , who were appointed by the Apostles to distribute food and charitable aid to poorer members of the community in the early church. According to Orthodox belief, he was the eldest and is therefore called "archdeacon". As another deacon, Nicholas of Antioch,
945-517: A nun working with lepers in what is now the state of Hawaii; Giovanni Battista Piamarta , an Italian priest; Jacques Berthieu , a French Jesuit priest and African martyr ; Carmen Salles y Barangueras , a Spanish nun and founder of the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception; Peter Calungsod , a lay catechist and martyr from the Philippines; and Anna Schäffer , whose desire to be a missionary
1050-646: A relic known as St. Stephen's Purse which is an elaborate gold and jewel-encrusted box believed to contain soil soaked with the blood of St. Stephen. The reliquary is likely a 9th-century creation. In his book The City of God , Augustine of Hippo describes the many miracles that occurred when part of the relics of Saint Stephen were brought to Africa. The relics of the protomartyr were also in India Kerala brought from Congregation Mount Athos, Greece to St. Stephens Orthodox Cathedral Pilgrim Center, Kudassanad, Kerala, India In Western Christianity , 26 December
1155-692: A speech denouncing the Jewish authorities who were sitting in judgment on him and was then stoned to death . Saul of Tarsus, later known as Paul the Apostle , a Pharisee and Roman citizen who would later become an apostle , participated in Stephen's execution. The only source for information about Stephen is the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles. Stephen is mentioned in Acts 6 as one of
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#17327730383301260-584: A subject of controversy during the sex abuse cases . For 20 years, Ratzinger had been the man in charge of enforcing the document. While bishops hold the secrecy pertained only internally, and did not preclude investigation by civil law enforcement, the letter was often seen as promoting a coverup. Later, as pope, he was accused in a lawsuit of conspiring to cover up the molestation of three boys in Texas , but sought and obtained diplomatic immunity from liability. On 12 March 1983, Ratzinger, as prefect, notified
1365-811: A symbol of martyrdom. Many churches and other places commemorate Stephen. Among the most notable are the two sites in Jerusalem held by different traditions to be the place of his martyrdom, the Salesian monastery of Beit Jimal in Israel held to be the place where his remains were miraculously found, and the church of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura in Rome, where the saint's remains are said to be buried. Important churches and sites dedicated to Saint Stephen are: Protomartyr A protomartyr ( Koine Greek , πρῶτος prôtos 'first' + μάρτυς mártus ' martyr ')
1470-594: A turn towards conservatism, while Ratzinger himself said in a 1993 interview, "I see no break in my views as a theologian [over the years]". Ratzinger continued to defend the work of the Second Vatican Council, including Nostra aetate , the document on respect of other religions, ecumenism , and the declaration of the right to freedom of religion . Later, as the Prefect of the Congregation for
1575-515: A well-known academic theologian of the Nouvelle théologie and a proponent of Church reform. In 1966, Ratzinger was appointed to a chair in dogmatic theology at the University of Tübingen , where he was a colleague of Hans Küng. In his 1968 book Introduction to Christianity , he wrote that the pope has a duty to hear differing voices within the Church before making a decision, and he downplayed
1680-561: Is all we have to do is put ourselves at His disposal ... is an extremely important message. It is a message that helps to overcome what can be considered the great temptation of our time: the claim, that after the Big Bang , God withdrew from history." Thus, in his book Jesus of Nazareth , his main purpose was "to help foster [in the reader] the growth of a living relationship" with Jesus Christ. He took up this theme in his first encyclical Deus caritas est . In his explanation and summary of
1785-660: Is called " Saint Stephen's Day ", the "Feast of Stephen" mentioned in the English Christmas carol " Good King Wenceslas ". It is a public holiday in many nations that are of historic Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran traditions, including Austria, Croatia, the Czech Republic , Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Poland, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Catalonia and the Balearic Isles. In Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and
1890-763: Is celebrated on 27 December, due to the celebration of the Synaxis of the Theotokos on 26 December. This also has the effect of pushing the Feast of the Holy Innocents to 29 December. This day is also called the "Third Day of the Nativity" because it is the third day of the Christmas season. Some Orthodox churches, particularly in the west, follow a modified Julian calendar that places date names identically with
1995-449: Is contradictory to the modern acclamation of science whose excellence is based on the power of reason to know the truth. He said that this self-amputation of reason leads to pathologies of religion such as terrorism and pathologies of science such as ecological disasters . Benedict traced the failed revolutions and violent ideologies of the 20th century to a conversion of partial points of view into absolute guides. He said "Absolutizing what
2100-495: Is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." The document angered many Protestant churches by claiming that they are not churches, but "ecclesial communities". Ratzinger's 2001 letter De delictis gravioribus clarified the confidentiality of internal church investigations, as defined in the 1962 document Crimen sollicitationis , into accusations made against priests of certain crimes, including sexual abuse . This became
2205-557: Is not absolute but relative is called totalitarianism." In the discussion with secularism and rationalism , one of Benedict's basic ideas can be found in his address on the "Crisis of Culture" in the West, a day before Pope John Paul II died, when he referred to Christianity as the "religion of the Logos " (the Greek for "word", "reason", "meaning", or "intelligence"). He said: From
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#17327730383302310-439: Is specifically stated to have been a convert to Judaism , it may be assumed that Stephen was born Jewish, but nothing more is known about his previous life. The reason for the appointment of the deacons is stated to have been dissatisfaction among Hellenistic Jews that their widows were being slighted in preference to Hebrew ones in the daily distribution of food. Since the name Stephanos is Koine Greek , it has been assumed that he
2415-527: Is still the most influential writing regarding the monastic life of Western Christianity . The Pope explained his choice of name during his first general audience in St. Peter's Square, on 27 April 2005: Filled with sentiments of awe and thanksgiving, I wish to speak of why I chose the name Benedict. Firstly, I remember Pope Benedict XV, that courageous prophet of peace, who guided the Church through turbulent times of war. In his footsteps, I place my ministry in
2520-594: Is that the discrepancies come from an ancient Jewish tradition which was not included in the scriptures or may have been popular among people of Jerusalem who were not scribes. Numerous parallels between the accounts of Stephen in Acts and the Jesus of the Gospels – they both perform miracles, they are both tried by the Sanhedrin, they both pray for forgiveness for their killers, for instance – have led to suspicions that
2625-789: Is the first Christian martyr in a country or among a particular group, such as a religious order . Similarly, the phrase the Protomartyr (with no other qualification of country or region) can mean Saint Stephen , the first martyr of the Christian Church. Saint Thecla the Protomartyr , the first female martyr of the Christian Church, is known as "apostle and protomartyr among women". Pope Benedict XVI Pope Benedict XVI ( Latin : Benedictus PP. XVI ; Italian : Benedetto XVI ; German : Benedikt XVI ; born Joseph Alois Ratzinger , German: [ˈjoːzɛf ˈʔaːlɔɪ̯s ˈʁat͡sɪŋɐ] ; 16 April 1927 – 31 December 2022)
2730-556: The Augsburg Confession might be recognised as a Catholic statement of faith. Several of Benedict's former students became his confidantes, notably Christoph Schönborn , and a number of his former students sometimes meet for discussions. He served as vice-president of the University of Regensburg from 1976 to 1977. On 26 May 1976, he was appointed a Prelate of Honour of His Holiness . On 24 March 1977, Ratzinger
2835-698: The Communion and Liberation movement in the New Evangelization encouraged under the papacy of the Polish Pope John Paul ;II . Ratzinger wrote an introduction to a 1996 reissue of Guardini's 1954 The Lord . Ratzinger began as assistant pastor (curate) at the parish St. Martin, Moosach , in Munich in 1951. Ratzinger became a professor at the University of Bonn in 1959, with his inaugural lecture on "The God of Faith and
2940-848: The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith , one of the most important dicasteries of the Roman Curia . From 2002 until he was elected pope, he was also Dean of the College of Cardinals . Before becoming pope, he had been "a major figure on the Vatican stage for a quarter of a century"; he had had an influence "second to none when it came to setting church priorities and directions" as one of John Paul II 's closest confidants. Benedict's writings were prolific and generally defended traditional Catholic doctrine, values, and liturgy . He
3045-539: The Diocese of Rome and the official responsible for promoting the cause for canonization of any person who dies within that diocese, cited "exceptional circumstances" which suggested that the waiting period could be waived. (This had happened before, when Pope Paul VI waived the five-year rule and announced beatification processes for two of his own predecessors, Pope Pius XII and Pope John XXIII . Benedict XVI followed this precedent when he waived
3150-602: The European Academy of Sciences and Arts in Salzburg. Ratzinger defended and reaffirmed Catholic doctrine, including teaching on topics such as birth control , homosexuality, and inter-religious dialogue. The theologian Leonardo Boff , for example, was suspended, while others such as Matthew Fox were censured. Other issues also prompted condemnations or revocations of rights to teach: for instance, some posthumous writings of Jesuit priest Anthony de Mello were
3255-545: The Middle Ages and no earlier than the 12th century, locates it at the eastern gate. Of the numerous speeches in Acts of the Apostles, Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin is the longest. To the objection that it seems unlikely that such a long speech could be reproduced in the text of Acts exactly as it was delivered, some Biblical scholars have replied that Stephen's speech shows a distinctive personality behind it. There are at least five places where Stephen's re-telling of
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3360-675: The Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace under a single president, Cardinal Renato Martino . When Martino retired in 2009, each council received its own president once again. Also in March 2006, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue was briefly merged into the Pontifical Council for Culture under Cardinal Paul Poupard . Those Councils maintained their separate officials and staffs while their status and competencies continued unchanged, and in May 2007, Interreligious Dialogue
3465-726: The Sanhedrin , the supreme legal court of Jewish elders, accusing him of preaching against the Second Temple and the Torah . Stephen is said to have been unperturbed, his face looking like "that of an angel". In a long speech to the Sanhedrin comprising almost the whole of Acts 7 , Stephen presents his view of the history of the Israelites . The God of glory, he says, appeared to Abraham in Mesopotamia , thus establishing at
3570-712: The Sistine Chapel at the beginning of each year, on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord , in his pastoral role as Bishop of Rome . During his pontificate, Benedict XVI beatified 870 people. On 9 May 2005, Benedict XVI began the beatification process for his predecessor, Pope John Paul II. Normally, five years must pass after a person's death before the beatification process can begin. However, in an audience with Benedict, Camillo Ruini , vicar general of
3675-682: The Tridentine Mass . He strengthened the relationship between the Catholic Church and art , promoted the use of Latin , and reintroduced traditional papal vestments , for which reason he was called "the pope of aesthetics". He also established personal ordinariates , for former Anglicans and Methodists , joining the Catholic Church. Benedict's handling of sexual abuse cases within the Catholic Church and opposition to usage of condoms in areas of high HIV transmission
3780-509: The University of Munich . The intellectual affinity between these two thinkers, who would later become decisive figures for the twentieth-century Catholic Church , was preoccupied with rediscovering the essentials of Christianity: Guardini wrote his 1938 The Essence of Christianity , while Ratzinger penned Introduction to Christianity , three decades later in 1968. Guardini inspired many in the Catholic social-democratic tradition, particularly
3885-452: The University of Regensburg and co-founded the theological journal Communio , with Hans Urs von Balthasar , Henri de Lubac , Walter Kasper , and others, in 1972. Communio , now published in seventeen languages, including German, English, and Spanish, has become a prominent journal of contemporary Catholic theological thought. Until he was elected pope, he remained one of the journal's most prolific contributors. In 1976, he suggested that
3990-532: The Vatican Library , but John Paul refused his assent. Ratzinger engaged in a dialogue with critical theorist Jürgen Habermas in 2004, published three years later by Ignatius Press . In April 2005, before his election as pope, Ratzinger was identified as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time . While Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Ratzinger repeatedly stated he would like to retire to his house in
4095-593: The Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Catholic Churches, Saint Stephen's Day falls on 25 December – the day on which the feast of the Nativity of Jesus (Christmas) falls in all other churches. This is because the Armenian churches maintain the decree of Constantine, which stipulated that the Nativity and Theophany of Jesus were to be celebrated on 6 January. In dioceses of the Armenian Church which use
4200-476: The Bavarian village of Pentling near Regensburg and dedicate himself to writing books. At the papal conclave , "it was, if not Ratzinger, who? And as they came to know him, the question became, why not Ratzinger?" On 19 April 2005, he was elected on the second day after four ballots. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor described the final vote, "It's very solemn when you go up one by one to put your vote in
4305-505: The Doctrine of the Faith , Ratzinger most clearly spelled out the Catholic Church's position on other religions in the 2000 document Dominus Iesus which also talks about the Catholic way to engage in " ecumenical dialogue". During his time at Tübingen University, Ratzinger published articles in the reformist theological journal Concilium , though he increasingly chose less reformist themes than other contributors such as Küng and Schillebeeckx. In 1969, Ratzinger returned to Bavaria , to
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4410-463: The Faith , formerly known as the "Sacred Congregation of the Holy Office ", the historical Roman Inquisition . Consequently, he resigned from his post in Munich in early 1982. He was promoted within the College of Cardinals to become Cardinal Bishop of Velletri-Segni in 1993 and was made the college's vice-dean in 1998 and dean in 2002. Just a year after its foundation in 1990, Ratzinger joined
4515-575: The French Académie des Sciences Morales et Politiques . He played the piano and had a preference for Mozart and Bach . Joseph Alois Ratzinger was born on 16 April, Holy Saturday , 1927 at Schulstraße 11 at 8:30 in the morning in his parents' home in Marktl , Bavaria, Germany. He was baptised the same day. He was the third and youngest child of Joseph Ratzinger Sr., a police officer, and Maria Ratzinger ( née Peintner ); his grand-uncle
4620-655: The German infantry. As the Allied front drew closer to his post in 1945, he deserted back to his family's home in Traunstein after his unit had ceased to exist, just as American troops established a headquarters in the Ratzinger household. As a German soldier, he was interned in US prisoner of war camps, first in Neu-Ulm, then at Fliegerhorst ("military airfield") Bad Aibling (shortly to be repurposed as Bad Aibling Station ) where he
4725-544: The God of Philosophy". In 1963, he moved to the University of Münster . During this period, he participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965) and served as a peritus (theological consultant) to Cardinal Frings of Cologne . He was viewed during the time of the council as a reformer, cooperating with theologians like Hans Küng and Edward Schillebeeckx . Ratzinger became an admirer of Karl Rahner ,
4830-684: The Greek-speaking Hellenistic Jews selected to administer the daily charitable distribution of food to the Greek-speaking widows. The Catholic , Anglican , Oriental Orthodox , Eastern Orthodox , and Lutheran churches and the Church of the East view Stephen as a saint . Artistic representations often show Stephen with a crown symbolising martyrdom , three stones, martyr's palm frond , censer , and often holding
4935-427: The Holy Spirit. "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: who have received the law by the disposition of the angels, and have not kept it." The account is that the crowd, thus castigated, could contain their anger no longer. However, Stephen looked up and cried, "Behold, I see
5040-436: The House of God in Augustine's Doctrine of the Church . His habilitation (which qualified him for a professorship) was on Bonaventure . It was completed in 1957 and he became a professor at Freising College in 1958. In his early twenties, Ratzinger was deeply influenced by the thought of Italian German philosopher Romano Guardini , who taught in Munich from 1946 to 1951 when Ratzinger was studying in Freising and later at
5145-420: The Julian Calendar, Saint Stephen's Day falls on 7 January and Nativity/Theophany on 19 January (for the remainder of the 21st century Julian). In the eucharistic celebration on this feast day, it is traditional for all deacons serving at the altar to wear a liturgical crown (Armenian: խոյր khooyr ), which is one of the vestments worn only by priests on all other days of the year, the crown being in this instance
5250-430: The Latin word meaning "the blessed", in honour of both Benedict XV and Benedict of Nursia . Benedict XV was pope during the First World War, during which time he passionately pursued peace between the warring nations. St. Benedict of Nursia was the founder of the Benedictine monasteries (most monasteries of the Middle Ages were of the Benedictine order) and the author of the Rule of Saint Benedict , which
5355-415: The Son of the living God, and hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of God". In the same manner Stephen was stoned on the assumption that he was a blasphemer, and because he professed his belief in the Divinity of Jesus, and said: "I see heaven open, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God". 2. Both our Blessed Lord and St. Stephen were treated as outcasts, and put to death outside
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#17327730383305460-438: The United Kingdom, the day is celebrated as " Boxing Day ". In the current norms for the liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church , the feast is celebrated at the Eucharist , but, for the Liturgy of the Hours , is restricted to the Hours during the day, with Evening Prayer being reserved to the celebration of the Octave of Christmas . Historically, the "Invention of the Relics of Saint Stephen" (i.e., their reputed discovery)
5565-457: The aftermath of Stephen's death, the remaining disciples except for the apostles fled to distant lands, many to Antioch . The exact site of Stephen's stoning is not mentioned in Acts; instead there are two different traditions. One, claimed by noted French archaeologists Louis-Hugues Vincent (1872–1960) and Félix-Marie Abel (1878–1953) to be ancient , places the event at Jerusalem's northern gate, while another one, dated by Vincent and Abel to
5670-522: The announcement of the prior day, Wir Sind Papst ( We are Pope ). At the balcony, Benedict's first words to the crowd, given in Italian before he gave the traditional Urbi et Orbi blessing in Latin, were: Dear brothers and sisters, after the great Pope John Paul II, the Cardinals have elected me, a simple, humble labourer in the vineyard of the Lord. The fact that the Lord knows how to work and to act even with insufficient instruments comforts me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers. In
5775-457: The author of Acts has emphasised – in order to show the recipient that people become holy when they follow the example of Christ – or invented some (or all) of these. The criticism of traditional Jewish belief and practice in Stephen's speech is very strong – when he says God does not live in a dwelling "made by human hands", referring to the Temple, he is using an expression often employed by Biblical texts to describe idols. Some people have laid
5880-664: The beatification of John Henry Newman . Unlike his predecessor, Benedict delegated the beatification liturgical service to a cardinal. On 29 September 2005, the Congregation for the Causes of Saints issued a communiqué announcing that henceforth beatifications would be celebrated by a representative of the pope, usually the prefect of that Congregation. During his pontificate, Benedict XVI canonized 45 people. He celebrated his first canonizations on 23 October 2005 in St. Peter's Square when he canonized Josef Bilczewski , Alberto Hurtado , Zygmunt Gorazdowski , Gaetano Catanoso , and Felice da Nicosia . The canonizations were part of
5985-409: The beginning of the speech one of its major themes, that God does not dwell only in one particular building (meaning the Temple). Stephen recounts the stories of the patriarchs in some depth and goes into even more detail in the case of Moses. God appeared to Moses in the burning bush, and inspired Moses to lead his people out of Egypt. Nevertheless, the Israelites turned to other gods. This establishes
6090-424: The beginning, Christianity has understood itself as the religion of the Logos , as the religion according to reason ... It has always defined men, all men without distinction, as creatures and images of God, proclaiming for them ... the same dignity. In this connection, the Enlightenment is of Christian origin and it is no accident that it was born precisely and exclusively in the realm of the Christian faith. ... It
6195-438: The centrality of the papacy. During this time, he distanced himself from the atmosphere of Tübingen and the Marxist leanings of the student movement of the 1960s that quickly radicalized, in the years 1967 and 1968, culminating in a series of disturbances and riots in April and May 1968. Ratzinger came increasingly to see these and associated developments (such as decreasing respect for authority among his students) as connected to
6300-445: The charge of anti-Judaism against the speech, for instance the priest and scholar of comparative religion S. G. F. Brandon , who states: "The anti-Jewish polemic of this speech reflects the attitude of the author of Acts." Friedrich Justus Knecht lists the similarities of the martyrdom of Stephen to Jesus' death on the cross: 1. Our Blessed Lord was sentenced to death on the charge of blasphemy, because He had affirmed on oath: "I am
6405-410: The church and monastery built by Empress Eudocia. A different tradition is documented from the end of the Crusader period, after the disappearance of the Byzantine church: as Christian pilgrims were prohibited from approaching the militarily exposed northern city wall, the name "Saint Stephen's Gate" was transferred to the still accessible eastern gate, which bears this name until this day. The relics of
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#17327730383306510-405: The city. 3. Both, when dying, prayed for their enemies: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do". – "Lay not this sin to their charge". 4. Both, before dying, commended their souls to God: "Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit". – "Lord Jesus, receive my soul!” Acts 8:2 says "devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him," but the location where he
6615-503: The doors for Christ!", Benedict said: Are we not perhaps all afraid in some way? If we let Christ enter fully into our lives, if we open ourselves totally to Him, are we not afraid that He might take something away from us? ... And once again the Pope said: No! If we let Christ into our lives, we lose nothing, nothing, absolutely nothing of what makes life free, beautiful, and great. No! Only in this friendship do we experience beauty and liberation. ... When we give ourselves to Him, we receive
6720-412: The encyclical, he stated: "If friendship with God becomes for us something ever more important and decisive, then we will begin to love those whom God loves and who are in need of us. God wants us to be friends of His friends and we can be so, if we are interiorly close to them." Thus, he said that prayer is "urgently needed ... It is time to reaffirm the importance of prayer in the face of the activism and
6825-551: The feast. Saint Stephen is also commemorated on 4 January ( Synaxis of the Seventy Apostles ) in the Eastern Orthodox Church . Uncovering of his relics (relics of the saints : Nicodemus , Gamaliel and Abibas son of Gamaliel were also found in Saint Stephen's tomb) took place in 415, Gamaliel appeared to presbyter Lucian [ ru ] and he told him to go to Jerusalem and inform Bishop John about relics of Saint Stephen. Bishop John II with bishops Eusthia (from Sebastia ) and Eleutherius (from Jericho) came to
6930-425: The first Australian saint, Mary MacKillop . On 23 October 2011, he canonized three saints: a Spanish nun Bonifacia Rodríguez y Castro , Italian archbishop Guido Maria Conforti , and Italian priest Luigi Guanella . In December 2011, the Pope formally recognized the validity of the miracles necessary to proceed with the canonizations of Kateri Tekakwitha , who would be the first Native American saint; Marianne Cope,
7035-431: The five-year rule for John Paul II. ) The decision was announced on 13 May 2005, the Feast of Our Lady of Fátima and the 24th anniversary of the attempt on John Paul II's life. John Paul II often credited Our Lady of Fátima for preserving him on that day. Cardinal Ruini inaugurated the diocesan phase of the cause for beatification in the Lateran Basilica on 28 June 2005. The first beatification under
7140-426: The growing secularism of many Christians engaged in charitable work." Continuing what he said in the pre-conclave Mass about what he often referred to as the "central problem of our faith today", on 6 June 2005, Benedict also said: Today, a particularly insidious obstacle to the task of education is the massive presence in our society and culture of that relativism which, recognising nothing as definitive, leaves as
7245-501: The heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God." He said that the recently resurrected Jesus was standing by the side of God. The people from the crowd, who threw the first stones, laid their coats down so as to be able to do this, at the feet of a young man named Saul (later identified as Paul the Apostle ). Stephen prayed that the Lord would receive his spirit and his killers be forgiven, sank to his knees, and "fell asleep". Saul "was consenting unto his death." In
7350-497: The joy of the Risen Lord, confident of his unfailing help, let us move forward. The Lord will help us, and Mary, His Most Holy Mother, will be on our side. Thank you. On 24 April, Benedict celebrated the Papal Inauguration Mass in St. Peter's Square , during which he was invested with the Pallium and the Ring of the Fisherman . On 7 May, he took possession of his cathedral church, the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran . Benedict XVI chose his papal name , which comes from
7455-412: The lay faithful and the clergy that Archbishop Pierre Martin Ngô Đình Thục had incurred excommunication latae sententiae for illicit episcopal consecrations without the apostolic mandate. In 1997, when he turned 70, Ratzinger asked Pope John Paul II for permission to leave the Congregation of the Doctrine of Faith and to become an archivist in the Vatican Secret Archives and a librarian in
7560-529: The new pope was celebrated on 14 May 2005, by José Cardinal Saraiva Martins , Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints . The new Blesseds were Marianne Cope and Ascensión Nicol Goñi . Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen was beatified on 9 October 2005. Mariano de la Mata was beatified in November 2006 and Rosa Eluvathingal was beatified on 3 December of that year, and Basil Moreau
7665-458: The pope was replaced by being greeted by twelve people, including cardinals, clergy, religious, a married couple and their child, and some who were newly confirmed people; the cardinals had formally sworn their obedience upon the election of the new pontiff. He began using an open-topped papal car , saying that he wanted to be closer to the people. Benedict continued the tradition of his predecessor John Paul II and baptised several infants in
7770-558: The protomartyr were later translated to Rome by Pope Pelagius II during the construction of the basilica of San Lorenzo fuori le Mura . They were interred alongside the relics of Saint Lawrence , whose tomb is enshrined within the church. According to the Golden Legend , the relics of Lawrence moved miraculously to one side to make room for those of Stephen. The Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire includes
7875-401: The same year he canonized Jeanne Jugan , Damien de Veuster , Zygmunt Szczęsny Feliński , Francisco Coll Guitart , and Rafael Arnáiz Barón . On 17 October 2010, Benedict canonized André Bessette , a French-Canadian; Stanisław Sołtys , a 15th-century Polish priest; Italian nuns Giulia Salzano and Camilla Battista da Varano ; Spanish nun Candida Maria de Jesus Cipitria y Barriola ; and
7980-550: The second main theme of Stephen's speech, Israel's disobedience to God. Stephen faced two accusations: that he had declared that Jesus would destroy the Temple in Jerusalem and that he had changed the customs of Moses. Pope Benedict XVI stated in 2012 that Stephen appealed to the Jewish scriptures to prove how the laws of Moses were not subverted by Jesus but were instead being fulfilled. Stephen denounces his listeners as "stiff-necked" people who, just as their ancestors had done, resist
8085-477: The service of reconciliation and harmony between peoples. Additionally, I recall Saint Benedict of Nursia, co- patron of Europe, whose life evokes the Christian roots of Europe. I ask him to help us all to hold firm to the centrality of Christ in our Christian life: May Christ always take first place in our thoughts and actions! During Benedict's inaugural Mass, the previous custom of every cardinal submitting to
8190-540: The standard Gregorian calendar of widespread civil usage. In those churches, then, the date the feast is observed is generally known as 27 December. However, other Orthodox churches, including the Oriental Orthodox, continue to use the original Julian calendar. Throughout the 21st century, 27 December Julian will continue to fall on 9 January in the Gregorian calendar, and that is the date on which they observe
8295-532: The stories of Israelite history diverges from the scriptures where these stories originated; for example, Stephen says that Jacob's tomb was in Shechem , but Genesis 50:13 says Jacob's body was carried and buried in a cave in Machpelah at Hebron . Some theologians argue that these may not be discrepancies, but rather a condensing of historical events for people who were already familiar with them. That Jacob's body
8400-554: The students were all sent home. Ratzinger returned to Traunstein. Ratzinger's family, especially his father, bitterly resented the Nazis , and his father's opposition to Nazism resulted in demotions and harassment of the family. Following his 14th birthday in 1941, Ratzinger was conscripted into the Hitler Youth – as membership was required by law for all 14-year-old German boys after March 1939 – but
8505-419: The subject of a notification . Ratzinger and the congregation viewed many of them, particularly the later works, as having an element of religious indifferentism (in other words, that Christ was "one master alongside others"). In particular, Dominus Iesus , published by the congregation in the jubilee year 2000, reaffirmed many recently "unpopular" ideas, including the Catholic Church's position that "salvation
8610-528: The time of the 2005 conclave , he was one of only fourteen remaining cardinals appointed by Paul VI, and one of only three of those under the age of 80. Of these, only he and William Wakefield Baum took part in the conclave. On 25 November 1981, Pope John Paul II, upon the retirement of Franjo Šeper , named Ratzinger as the Prefect of the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of
8715-751: The tomb in Beit Jimal and translated relics to Jerusalem, this event is commemorated on 15 September. In 428 (when Saint Theodosius II the Younger Roman Emperor ) relics of saint: Stephen, Nicodemus , Gamaliel and Abibas were translated from Jerusalem to Constantinople and relics have been placed in Saint Lawrence church, and after preparations were made relics were moved to specially prepared Saint Stephen church in Constantinople, this event took place on 2 August. In
8820-421: The ultimate criterion only the self with its desires. And under the semblance of freedom it becomes a prison for each one, for it separates people from one another, locking each person into his or her own ego. Benedict said that "a dictatorship of relativism" was the core challenge facing the Church and humanity. At the root of this problem, he said, is Immanuel Kant 's "self-limitation of reason". This, he said,
8925-539: The urn and you're looking up at the Last Judgement of Michelangelo . And I still remember vividly the then Cardinal Ratzinger sitting on the edge of his chair." Ratzinger had hoped to retire peacefully and said that "At a certain point, I prayed to God 'please don't do this to me'...Evidently, this time He didn't listen to me." The day following Ratzinger's election, the German newspaper Bild ran what would become one of its most iconic headlines in response to
9030-543: The visiting Cardinal Archbishop of Munich, Michael von Faulhaber , with flowers. Struck by the cardinal's distinctive garb, he announced later that day that he wanted to be a cardinal . He attended the elementary school in Aschau am Inn , which was renamed in his honour in 2009. In 1939, aged 12, he enrolled in a minor seminary in Traunstein . This period lasted until the seminary was closed for military use in 1942, and
9135-507: Was an unenthusiastic member who refused to attend meetings, according to his brother. In 1941, one of Ratzinger's cousins, a 14-year-old boy with Down syndrome , was taken away by the Nazi regime and murdered during the Aktion T4 campaign of Nazi eugenics . In 1943, while still in seminary, he was drafted into the German anti-aircraft corps as Luftwaffenhelfer . Ratzinger then trained in
9240-482: Was and is the merit of the Enlightenment to have again proposed these original values of Christianity and of having given back to reason its own voice ... Today, this should be precisely [Christianity's] philosophical strength, in so far as the problem is whether the world comes from the irrational, and reason is not other than a 'sub-product,' on occasion even harmful of its development – or whether
9345-499: Was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising , and was ordained a bishop on 28 May. He took as his episcopal motto Cooperatores veritatis ( Latin for 'cooperators of the truth'), from the Third Epistle of John , a choice on which he commented in his autobiographical work Milestones . In the consistory of 27 June 1977, he was named Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria Consolatrice al Tiburtino by Pope Paul VI . By
9450-705: Was at the time of Victory in Europe Day , and released on 19 June 1945. Ratzinger and his brother Georg entered Saint Michael Seminary in Traunstein in November 1945, later studying at the Ducal Georgianum ( Herzogliches Georgianum ) of the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich. They were both ordained in Freising on 29 June 1951 by Cardinal Michael von Faulhaber of Munich – the same man Ratzinger had met as
9555-595: Was beatified in September 2007. In October 2008, the following beatifications took place: Celestine of the Mother of God , Giuseppina Nicoli, Hendrina Stenmanns, Maria Rosa Flesch, Marta Anna Wiecka, Michael Sopocko , Petrus Kibe Kasui and 187 Companions , Susana Paz-Castillo Ramírez , and Maria Isbael Salvat Romero. On 19 September 2010, during his visit to the United Kingdom , Benedict personally proclaimed
9660-467: Was built outside the eastern gate of the city, which a second tradition holds to be the site of his martyrdom, rather than the northern location outside Damascus Gate (for the two traditions see here ). The Crusaders initially called the main northern gate of Jerusalem "Saint Stephen's Gate" (in Latin, Porta Sancti Stephani ), highlighting its proximity to the site of martyrdom of Saint Stephen, marked by
9765-407: Was buried is not specified. In 415, a priest named Lucian purportedly had a dream that revealed the location of Stephen's remains at Beit Jimal . After that, the relics of the protomartyr were taken in procession to the Church of Hagia Sion on 26 December 415, making it the date for the feast of Saint Stephen. The recovery of the relics were described in a letter written by Avitus of Braga , who
9870-592: Was carried to a final resting place in Shechem is not recorded in Genesis, though it does not exclude the possibility that his bones were transferred to Shechem for a final burial place, as was done with the bones of Jacob's son Joseph, as described in Joshua 24:32 Other scholars consider these and other discrepancies as errors. Still others interpret them as deliberate choices making theological points. Another possibility
9975-710: Was commemorated on 3 August. The feasts of both 26 December and 3 August have been used in dating clauses in historical documents produced in England. Stephen is remembered in the Church of England with a Festival on 26 December . In the Eastern Orthodox Church , those Eastern Catholic Churches which follow the Byzantine Rite , and in Oriental Orthodox Churches (e.g., Coptic, Syrian, Malankara) Saint Stephen's feast day
10080-576: Was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 19 April 2005 until his resignation on 28 February 2013. Benedict's election as pope occurred in the 2005 papal conclave that followed the death of Pope John Paul II . Benedict chose to be known as " Pope emeritus " upon his resignation, and he retained this title until his death in 2022. Ordained as a priest in 1951 in his native Bavaria , Ratzinger embarked on an academic career and established himself as
10185-573: Was involved in a plot to bring some of those relics to Braga via the historian and theologian Paulus Orosius . In 439, the relics were translated to a new church north of the Damascus Gate built by the empress Aelia Eudocia in honor of Saint Stephen. This church was destroyed in the 12th century. A 20th-century French Catholic church, Saint-Étienne, was built in its place, while another, the Greek Orthodox Church of St Stephen,
10290-998: Was one of these Hellenistic Jews. Stephen is stated to have been full of faith and the Holy Spirit and to have performed miracles among the people. It seems to have been among synagogues of Hellenistic Jews that he performed his teachings and "signs and wonders" since it is said that he aroused the opposition of the Synagogue of the Libertines , and "of the Cyrenians , and of the Alexandrians , and of them that were of Cilicia and Asia". Members of these synagogues had challenged Stephen's teachings, but Stephen had bested them in debate. Furious at this humiliation, they suborned false testimony that Stephen had preached blasphemy against Moses and God. They dragged him to appear before
10395-449: Was originally a liberal theologian but adopted conservative views after 1968. During his papacy, Benedict advocated a return to fundamental Christian values to counter the increased secularisation of many Western countries . He viewed relativism 's denial of objective truth , and the denial of moral truths in particular, as the central problem of the 21st century. Benedict also revived several traditions and permitted greater use of
10500-694: Was restored to its separate status again with its own president. In June 2010, Benedict created the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization , appointing Archbishop Rino Fisichella its first president. On 16 January 2013, the Pope transferred responsibility for catechesis from the Congregation for the Clergy to the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelization. As pope, one of Benedict's main roles
10605-420: Was substantially criticised by public health officials, anti-AIDS activists, and victim's rights organizations. On 11 February 2013, Benedict announced his (effective 28 February 2013) resignation, citing a "lack of strength of mind and body" due to his advanced age. His resignation was the first by a pope since Gregory XII in 1415, and the first on a pope's initiative since Celestine V in 1294. He
10710-521: Was succeeded by Francis on 13 March 2013 and moved into the newly renovated Mater Ecclesiae Monastery in Vatican City for his retirement. In addition to his native German language, Benedict had some level of proficiency in French, Italian, English, and Spanish. He also knew Portuguese , Latin, Biblical Hebrew , and Biblical Greek . He was a member of several social science academies, such as
10815-554: Was the German priest-politician Georg Ratzinger . His mother's family was originally from South Tyrol (now in Italy). Benedict's elder brother, Georg , became a Catholic priest and was the former director of the Regensburger Domspatzen choir. His sister, Maria, who never married, managed her brother Joseph's household until she died in 1991. At the age of five, Ratzinger was in a group of children who welcomed
10920-566: Was to teach about the Catholic faith and the solutions to the problems of discerning and living the faith, a role that he could play well as a former head of the Church's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. (The main points of emphasis of his teachings are stated in more detail in Theology of Pope Benedict XVI .) After his first homily as pope, Benedict referred to both Jesus Christ and John Paul II. Citing John Paul II's well-known words, "Do not be afraid! Open wide
11025-511: Was unfulfilled on account of her illness. They were canonized on 21 October 2012. On 7 October 2012, Benedict named Hildegard of Bingen and John of Ávila as Doctors of the Church , the 34th and 35th individuals so recognized in the history of Christianity. Benedict made only modest changes to the structure of the Roman Curia. In March 2006, he placed both the Pontifical Council for Pastoral Care of Migrants and Itinerant Peoples and
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