Pope Benedict XVI ( born Joseph Alois Ratzinger on April 16 , 1927 in Marktl am Inn , Bavaria , Germany ) is the 265th and current Pope . The Pope is the leader of the Catholic church , the Bishop of Rome and the Sovereign of the Vatican City . Pope Benedict XVI ( ; ; ; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger on 16 April 1927 ) is the 265th and current Pope , by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome , the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the head of the Roman Catholic Church .