Factbox-Former Pope Benedict, his papacy and resignation

FILE PHOTO: Pope Benedict XVI arrives to celebrate a mass at Revolution Square in Havana, Cuba, March 28, 2012. Osservatore Romano/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Following are some facts about former Pope Benedict, who died on Saturday:

- Benedict, the first German pope in 1,000 years, was elected on April 19, 2005 to succeed the widely popular Pope John Paul II, who reigned for 27 years. Cardinals chose him from among their number seeking continuity and what one called "a safe pair of hands". For nearly 25 years, as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, he was the powerful head of the Vatican's doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).