Topic summary
The Spirit of the Liturgy
Early life and church career
Papacy
Theology and writings
Magisterial documents
Church governance and liturgy
Ecumenism and interfaith relations
Resignation, death, and legacy
The Spirit of the Liturgy (German: Der Geist der Liturgie) is a 2000 book written by Joseph Ratzinger (Pope Benedict XVI) before his ascension to the papacy. Ratzinger called for the return to the historical practice of the liturgical orientation towards the east—the ad orientem Mass, where this is not possible, he calls for the placement of the Crucifix in the center of the altar.