The story of the first Pope to resign in over 700 years.

Pope Benedict made history by being the first Pope in over 700 years toresign from office. The Catholic Church the world over was stunned. Wornout by corruption in the Church and by an endless series of clerical sexscandals, he decided that the resolution of all these problems was outside his power for a man of his age.

Last Testamentis nearest to an autobiography from the shy and private manwho has remained hidden to the world in a former convent in the Vaticangardens. He breaks his silence on issues such as:

– The Vatileaks case in which his butler leaked some of his personal lettersthat alleged corruption and scandal in the Vatican (the butler remains in jail)
– The presence of a gay lobby within the Vatican and how he dismantled it
– His alleged Nazi upbringing
– His attempts at cleaning up the dirt in the church (clerical sexual abuse)
– The mysterious private secretary Gorgeous George

On a more personal level he writes with great warmth of his successor PopeFrancis, who he admits has a popular touch, a star quality which he has lacked.Much controversy still surrounds Pope Benedict`s Papacy–in this book headdresses these controversies and reveals how at his late age, governing andreforming the Papacy and particularly the Vatican, was beyond him.

Pope Benedict XVIserved as pope of the Catholic Church from 2005 to 2013. He was electedpope on April 19, 2005, was inaugurated on April 24, 2005 and resigned from the office onFebruary 28, 2013.

224 pages. Hardcover.