Sede vacante
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Sede vacante is the period during which a Catholic diocese or archdiocese has no prelate in office, with the prelate's office being the cathedral.
Sede vacante stamp of 1939.
Pope Benedict XVI
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Pope Benedict XVI was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City from 2005 until his resignation in 2013. Following his resignation, he chose to be known as "pope emeritus", a title
Sede vacante
…Pope Pius XI extended the time limit. With the next conclave in 1939, cardinals began to travel by air. Days before his resignation in February 2013, Pope Benedict XVI amended the rules to allow the cardinals to begin the conclave sooner if all voting cardinals are present. Sede vacante periods may be months or years…
Benedict XVI in 2010
The birthplace of Joseph Alois Ratzinger in Marktl, Bavaria
Palais Holnstein in Munich, the residence of Benedict as Archbishop of Munich and Freising
Cardinal Ratzinger in Rome, 1988