Pope Benedict XVI, born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16, 1927 in Bavaria, Germany is the 265th and current Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, and Sovereign of Vatican City State. He was elected on April 19, 2005 in a papal conclave, celebrated his Papal Inauguration Mass on April 24, 2005, and took possession of his cathedral, the Basilica of St. John Lateran, on May 7, 2005. Pope Benedict has both German and Vatican citizenship. He succeeded John Paul II, who died at the beginning of April, 2005. This beautiful presentation folder contains five One Dollar legal tender coins and was issued in the Pope's homeland of Germany. For added authenticity, the descriptions are written in German.