Pablo Blanco, professor at the University of Navarra, has published on publishing house Planeta the most complete biography of Joseph Ratzinger so far, entitled Benedict XVI. The German Pope. The expert has studied the figure of the Pontiff for more than 10 years. In 2004 he wrote the first biography on Spanish of the then cardinal and defended his doctoral thesis on the theology of religions in Joseph Ratzinger.

"This volume offers a portrait of the lesser-known pope and highlights traits such as his kindness, his gentleness, his ability to listen and his great sense of humor. He is a simple person, an intellectual as well as a pastor. Since he was appointed Pontiff, he has shown his true face; before, we did not imagine him exactly as he was," says the professor at School of Theology. In addition, the author has reflected the historical and cultural context of Bavaria and Germany in the book.

Leading Theologian

With regard to his role as head of the Catholic Church, he indicates that Benedict XVI "wants to 'clean up' and knows that he needs purification for the sins of Christians. But he is also aware that he has to go to the essential. For example, during his trip to the United Kingdom, he spoke with Anglicans and members of other non-Christian religions about defending a common heritage: the environment and human life".

In the work published by Planeta, Pablo Blanco also highlights his facet as a theologian: "He has written on almost every possible subject on this discipline and his books are in every library. His encyclicals focus on the essential: love, truth and hope as a tripod on which Christian existence rests. He has combined the academic and scientific height of his programs of study with the connection to the real problems of the people. Hence the success and popularity of his works even before he became Pope."

Interview to Pablo Blanco in ABC (October 3, 2010)