The repro shows a black and white Photography of Joseph Ratzinger (2nd from L), today pope Benedict XVI., during his time at the anti-aircraft corps; it was made in Rosenheim, Germany, 11 June 2007. Photo: Matthias Schrader

The repro shows a black and white Photography of Joseph Ratzinger (2nd from L), today pope Benedict XVI., during his time at the anti-aircraft corps; it was made in Rosenheim, Germany, 11 June 2007. Photo: Matthias Schrader

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP KARDYNAL JOZEF RATZINGER - PAPIEZ BENEDYKT XVI - W WATYKANIE, CZERWIEC 1977. OBOK KARDYNALOWIE BENELLI, GANTIN, TOMAZEK, GAPPI. Picture dated 07 June 1977 shows German cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (R) at the Vatican city next to Cardinals Benelli (2ndR), Gantin (C), Tomazek (2ndL) and Gappi (L). German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who was elected 19 April 2005 to succeed Pope John Paul II, was a close confidant of the late pontiff and fellow conservative. The newly elected Pope Benedict XVI, who turned 78 on Saturday, will be expected to maintain John Paul II's deeply conservative line. He has railed against "greed" and "self-sufficiency" within the Roman Catholic Church and rejects any attempt to modernise.

** FILE ** A Feb. 22, 2005 file photo showing German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Although there is no clear favorite in the succession to late Pope John Paul II, Ratzinger, 77, is often mentioned as a

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith arrive to Pope John Paul II's latest book

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, head of Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reads a passage of Pope John Paul II's latest book

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP President of the Catholic Congregation of Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (L) of Germany, is flanked by the head of the Vatican press Navarro Vals of Spain during a press conference in the Vatican 26 June 2000. Ratzinger, responsible for Vatican doctrine, disclosed details of the third secret of Fatima, described as a prophetic comparable to the holy scriptures.

Pope John Paul II signing a revised set of church law assisted by his Secretary of State Cardinal Agostino Casaroli (L) and Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Munich, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine and the Faith. (Ap Photo/Bruno Mosconi)

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Picture taken at the end of November 1981 in Munich shows archbishop of Munich and Freising Josef Ratzinger talking to a young blind woman as he bids farewell to Munich after he accepted Pope John Paul II's invitation to the Vatican to take over as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 19 April 2005 and will take the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Picture taken at the end of November 1981 in Freising near Munich shows archbishop of Munich and Freising Josef Ratzinger (R) in front of Maria's Church in Freising as he bids farewell to Munich after he accepted on 25 November 1981 Pope John Paul II's invitation to the Vatican to take over as Prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 19 April 2005 and will take the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced. At (L) behind is late Bavarian Premier Franz-Josef Strauss.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP BRACIA JOZEF I GEORG RATZINGER W CZASIE SEMINARIUM WE FREISING, RETRO FILES - Reproduction of a picture dated 1951shows Georg and Josef Ratzinger (R) during their ordination in Freising, southern Germany. Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 19 April 2005 and will take the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced.

(FILES) A photo taken in 1943 during World War II shows Joseph Ratzinger as a German Air Force assistant. Pope Benedict XVI announced on February 11, 2013 he will resign as leader of the world's 1.1 billion Catholics on February 28 because his age prevented him from carrying out his duties -- an unprecedented move in the modern history of the Catholic Church. AFP PHOTO/KNA-BILD = AUSTRIA OUT SWITZERLAND OUT GERMANY OUT

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Picture taken in 1937 shows Joseph Ratzinger (2nd row, 3rdL), then ten years old, posing among classmates for the class picture in Aschau am Inn, Bavaria, where he went to school from 1932 to 1937. Germany's 78-year-old Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, the Vatican's doctrinal enforcer under John Paul II, will take the name Benedict XVI as spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics around the world, after he was elected 19 April 2005.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Picture taken in 1937 shows Joseph Ratzinger (1st row, 2ndL), then ten years old, posing among classmates for a class photo in Aschau am Inn, Bavaria, where he went to school from 1932 to 1937. Germany's 78-year-old Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, the Vatican's doctrinal enforcer under John Paul II, will take the name Benedict XVI as spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics around the world, after he was elected on 19 April 2005

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP Picture taken in 1935 shows Joseph Ratzinger (2nd row, 2ndR), then eight years old, posing in his classroom among classmates in Aschau am Inn, Bavaria, where he went to school from 1932 to 1937. Germany's 78-year-old Cardinal Josef Ratzinger, the Vatican's doctrinal enforcer under John Paul II, will take the name Benedict XVI as spiritual leader of more than a billion Catholics around the world, after he was elected 19 April 2005.

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP JOZEF RATZINGER - PAPIEZ BENEDYKT XVI - JAKO STUDENT WE FREISING, Z RODZINA, RETRO Picture taken in the year 1951 shows the family of Josef Ratzinger (up, R) in Freising, Bavaria, after the ordination of himself and his brother Georg (up L). Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 19 April 2005 and will take the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced. Bottom row : his sister Maria, his Mother Maria and his fater Josef. 000_PAR2005041946677

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP JOZEF RATZINGER - PAPIEZ BENEDYKT XVI - JAKO DZIECKO. UCZEN SZKOLY W ASCHAU AM INN. Picture taken at the end of the year 1932 shows Josef Ratzinger as a schoolboy in Aschau am Inn. Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 19 April and will take the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced. 000_PAR2005041946676

PHOTO: EAST NEWS/AFP JOZEF RATZINGER - PAPIEZ BENEDYKT XVI - JAKO DZIECKO. UCZEN SZKOLY W ASCHAU AM INN. Picture taken at the end of the year 1932 shows Josef Ratzinger as a schoolboy in Aschau am Inn. Germany's Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger was elected the 265th pope of the Roman Catholic Church on 19 April and will take the name Benedict XVI, the Vatican announced.