Supreme leader of the Roman Catholic Church (2005-13). The first pope in more than 600 years to abdicate office. Former Prefect - Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith. Archbishop of Munich. Author of numerous books.
 
MS - Manuscript Signed: two-page diplomatic agreement between The Holy See and government of Brazil. Accomplished via digital calligraphy as is more common these days. Signed at the end of page two with the red rubber-stamp Seal of the Fisherman over his signature. In very good to fine condition.  Document in part reads:  The Church's work of aid to the suffering was founded in 1947 at the Premonstratensian Abbey of Tongerle, Belgium, at the urging of Our Predecessor Pius XII. From the beginning, it has been a pastoral work of the Catholic Church, in furtherance of its mission, to provide aid and relief throughout the world, especially in those places where the Church suffers persecution, where it must meet grave needs in order to fulfill its mission, or where it suffers in the most needy of its members...By establishing this Work, the patrimony that once belonged to the public Association of the Faithful to the Suffering Church is attributed, which will obtain all titles of active and passive relations. From the Vatican, 14 November 2011, in the memory of St. Charles Borromeo, in the seventh year of Our Pontificate.
 
NOTA BENE:  There is a digital copy of this document on the internet at the following link:
https://www.ayudaalaiglesianecesitada.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/QUIROGRAFO_ACN_BenedictoXVI.pdf.  The referenced copy was attested to by (then) Monsignor Peter B. Wells, now archbishop-apostolic delegate to Laos. Our document is the ORIGINAL, signed by Benedict XVI and bearing his red rubber-stamp papal seal, only added to authentically-signed documents. It is produced in digital calligraphy on a folded sheet of heavy stock measuring 18"x12.5".