With reference to Pope Benedict XVI, who died recently, which of the following statement/s is/are correct?
1. He was a native of Germany.
2. He was the first Pope to resign in 600 years.
Select the co

Question

With reference to Pope Benedict XVI, who died recently, which of the following statement/s is/are correct?
1. He was a native of Germany.
2. He was the first Pope to resign in 600 years.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — D, Both 1 and 2. Statement 1 is correct: Pope Benedict XVI was born Joseph Ratzinger in Marktl, Bavaria, Germany, in 1927 — the first German pope in centuries. Statement 2 is correct: when he stepped down in February 2013 he became the first pope to resign in almost 600 years (the previous voluntary resignation was Gregory XII in 1415), which is why it is commonly stated as 'first in 600 years'. He died on 31 December 2022, the event the question refers to.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Understates the answer — statement 1 (he was a native of Germany) is also correct, so 'Only 2' is incomplete.  (b) Both statements are in fact correct, so rejecting both is wrong.  (c) Understates the answer — statement 2 (first pope to resign in ~600 years) is also correct, so 'Only 1' is incomplete.

Concept: Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger, 1927-2022) led the Roman Catholic Church from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. His resignation was historic because popes almost always serve for life; he cited declining strength of mind and body. His death on 31 December 2022 made him a prominent current-affairs figure for the 2023 exam cycle.

State PCS 2023 Q41 — Current Affairs PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q41 — Current Affairs PYQ with Answer