- Joseph Ratzinger was born in Marktl in the German state of Bavaria.
- Saint Benedict was a teenager when he became a monk
- His father was a police officer and his mother’s family was originally from South Tyrol. His brother became a priest. His sister never married and managed his household until her death in 1991.
- Joseph spent his teen years in Traunstein and was called at the age of 16 into the auxiliary anti-aircraft service towards the end of World War II.
- Saint Benedict once lived in a hermit cave
- Benedict died of natural causes, maybe a fever.
- Scholastica, the founder of the Benedictine sisters, was Benedict’s sister
- Saint Benedict is the patron saint of Europe and schoolchildren
- Some monks tried to poison Benedict
- There is a medal named after Benedict
- His teaching methods were very harsh
- He gave up his rich inheritance to become a follower of Jesus
- Benedict’s feast day is July 11th
