Pope Benedict who’ll step down soon, waves to people of Regensburg in 2006

In this Sept. 12, 2006, file photo, Pope Benedict XVI waves to the crowd at the end of a papal Mass in Regensburg, southern Germany, some 120 kilometers (about 75 miles) northeast of Munich. When Benedict steps down on Feb. 28, 2013, his reputation as a brilliant theologian will remain intact. But he fell short of the mark he set for himself on unifying the church, building relationships with other religions and restoring the church’s influence in broader society. During his 2006 visit to Regensburg, he was sharply criticized by Muslims when he quoted a Byzantine emperor who characterized some of the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as “evil and inhuman.” <AP Photo/Wolfgang Radtke, Pool, File>