April 16

Hsuan Hua was born in 1918 in Anhui Province, China. Ordained as a monk at a young age, he dedicated his life to teaching and translating Buddhist scriptures. In 1968, he traveled to the United States, founding the Dharma Realm Buddhist Association and establishing the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas in California. He published numerous translations of Mahayana texts and lectured widely on Chan (Zen) Buddhism. Hsuan Hua passed away in 1995, remembered for his role in introducing Chinese Buddhism to Western audiences.

Born in Bavaria, Germany, Joseph Ratzinger became one of the world's most respected theologians, publishing extensively on faith and reason. He was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising in 1977 and made cardinal by Pope Paul VI. As Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, he defended traditional Catholic doctrine for over two decades. In 2005, he was elected Pope Benedict XVI, focusing on dialogues between faith and modernity. Benedict XVI emphasized liturgical tradition and interreligious dialogue, writing three encyclicals during his papacy. In 2013, he became the first pope in six centuries to resign, citing declining health. His retirement marked a historic moment, and he continued to write and reflect until his death in 2022. His intellectual legacy continues to influence Catholic theology worldwide.