The book – written by the former pope’s longtime secretary – will contain “a personal testimony to the greatness of a kind man, a good scholar, a cardinal and a pope who wrote the history of our time,” according to the publisher.
Georg Gaenswein, a 66-year-old German priest, stood by Benedict’s side for the next three decades. First as a civil servant working for the then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and from 2003 his personal secretary.
When Ratzinger was elected Pope in 2005, Gaenswein followed him to the Apostolic Palace as secretary.
“Apparent defamation”
But the book will also contain a first-hand account that will correct some “misunderstandings” about the pontificate and about intrigues in the Vatican.
“Today, after the death of the former Pope, the time has come for the current Prefect of the Papal Household to tell his own truth about the apparent slanders and dark maneuvers that have tried in vain to cast shadows over the magisterium and actions of the German Pope,” it says a press release.
Benedict was often called “God’s rottweiler” and the “armored cardinal”, but the book will now “finally show the true face of the Pope”.
The scandals
In addition, Gaenswein writes about the abuse scandals within the church, the “Vatileaks scandal” and about one of the Vatican’s most enduring mysteries – the disappearance of 15-year-old Emanuela Orlandis in 1983. Orlandis was the daughter of a Vatican employee.
Gaenswein’s influence on Benedict remained great after the Pope’s retirement in 2013. At the same time, Gaenswein served as Prefect of Pope Francis’ Papal Household.
Benedict XVI died last December, aged 95. On Monday, his body was placed in St. Peter’s Basilica until Thursday, when the funeral takes place.