Right on the heels of our 7 things you didn’t know about the Pope entry, comes some information more specific to the current Pope. With that, here is 7 Things You Don’t Know About: Pope Benedict XVI.

1. Being elected Pope at the age of 78, Benedict XVI is the oldest Pope at the time of his election since Clement XII who reigned from 1730-1740.
2. Benedict XVI is the ninth German Pope to reign, but the first since the early 1500s.
3. As a young man the Pope, then under his given name of Joseph Ratzinger, served in the Hitler Youth after his 14th birthday. Enrollment was mandatory at the time for all German youth, though young Joseph refused to attend meetings.
4. Due to his advanced age, ill health, and a desire to teach and write, Cardinal Ratzinger submitted his resignation on three different occasions to Pope John Paul II, each time the resignation would be denied to the future Pope.
5. Pope Benedict XVI chose the name Benedict based on his feelings for Pope Benedict XV, the Pope during World War I, as well as Saint Benedict.
6. The first foreign country that Pope Benedict XVI visited after his election as Pope was to his native Germany.
7. Pope Benedict XVI’s rarely used but full title is: “His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman province, Sovereign of the State of the Vatican City, Servant of the Servants of God.”

Pope Benedict XVI was seen to have a tough job following one of the most popular and beloved religious leaders the world had ever known in Pope John Paul II, but he also seems up to the task.

After the Pope’s recent visit to the United States, and the United Nations, here are 7 Things You Don’t Know About: The Pope.

1. Up until 1870, the Pope was also the head of state of land and states in central Italy. Now, the Pope remains the head of state of Vatican City, a sovereign city-state located within the city of Rome.
2. Charlemagne was the first emperor of any country who was crowned as leader by the Pope.
3. Pope Urban VI in the year 1378 became the last Pope elected who was not previously a Cardinal.
4. Pope Gregory XII was the last Pope to resign his position, doing so in 1409.
5. There are three accepted ways to address the Pope: “Your Holiness”, “Holy Father”, and “Il Papa”.
6. The Pope accepted to have reigned the longest was Pius XII who reigned for 31 years, 7 months, and 23 days from 1846-1878. The Pope accepted to have the shortest reign was Urban VII who reigned from September 15, 1590 to September 27, 1590, a total of 13 calendar days.
7. The youngest Pope was John XII who was 18 years old at the time of his election.

The Pope has always remained a revered world and spiritual leader, important to more than just those of the Catholic faith.