Timeline: Pope Benedict’s life

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s 95 years of life started in a small Bavarian village in Germany and saw him rise to the pinnacle of the Catholic Church.

Along the way, Benedict, who died Saturday in the Vatican, would become many things: a conscript into the German army in World War II, a war deserter, the longest-living Pope, and the first Pope to step down in more than six centuries.

This timeline shows the milestones in Benedict’s life.

Joe Murphy is a data editor at NBC News.

JoElla Carman is the Data Graphics Interactive Visual Designer for NBC News Digital.

Nigel Chiwaya is the Senior Editor, Data Viz for NBC News Digital.