Holy Smoke
Here are a few interesting facts & historical events which took place during the papacy of some of the Popes.
Pope Julius I: (337-352)- Christmas Day
He decided after due consideration, that the birthdate of Jesus should be set on 25th December, and this date has marked the birth of Christ ever since. He is also associated with the controversy over the concept of the Holy Trinity, an issue which has plagued Christianity ever since. This revolved around the debate of whether Jesus was equal to God or God’s subordinate.
Pope Telephorus: (126-137)- Instigated Christmas Midnight Mass
He was the eighth Pope, Greek by birth, lived as a hermit on Mt Carmel prior to assuming office. Other traditions he is believed to have instigated during his pontificate were celebrating Easter on Sundays, and seven-week period of lent leading up to Easter.
Pope Julius II: (1503-13)- Commissioned Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of Sistine Chapel
Incredibly- Michelangelo was not keen to take on the commission as he thought it was a trap. It took 4 years to complete and the ceiling cover 12,000 sq ft. His depiction of God in the frescoes was one of its kind. It shows a man with long white hair and a beard.
Pope Pius XII: (1939-58)- Criticized for failing to speak out against the Holocaust
Like many religious and secular leaders of the time, Pope Pius XII did not openly criticize the Nazi regime. However, many claimed he secretly opposed the Holocaust by hiding Jews in the Vatican and instructing Clergies to do likewise.
Pope Gregory X: (1271-76)- Elected after a 31-month process
Strange but true. During his reign he collected large sums of money from France and England to fund a major crusade, but the crusade itself never occurred.
Pope Benedict IX- Served three times as a Pope
First pontificate: 1032-44, second: 1045 and third: 1047-48. He was the nephew of both of the two Popes before him. He was accused of selling the Papacy, although in that turbulent period it was hard to separate facts from slander.
Pope Clement V: (1305-14)- Moved the Papal seat to Avignon, France in 1309.
Rome then was full of political conflicts and intrigues. Of course, this is a simplistic way of looking at the situation, as historical decisions can be usually attributed to more than one cause. But it is well documented that Rome had become a political hotbed and it was becoming difficult for the Papacy to operate effectively.
Pope John II: (533-35)- First Pope to change his name upon election to Papacy.
He did this because his given name was Mercurius which is a derivative of the pagan Roman God: Mercury. This tradition of changing the name when elected has continued to this present day.
Pope Victor I: (189-199)-Changed the liturgy of the mass from Greek to Latin
He was born in Roman lands in Africa, some historians describe him as the first black Pope. This may or may not refer to this pope's physiology, or the fact that Africa itself at that time was referred to by such a term. Begun by Pope Victor I in Rome in the 2nd century, the celebration of the holy mass in Latin was universal by the 4th century. Later Pope John XXIII encouraged priests to celebrate mass in local language rather than Latin
Pope Francis: (2013-)- The People’s Pope
In 2013, ‘TIME’ named Pope Francis-Person of the Year. In his early life, worked as a janitor, chemical technician and even as a bouncer for a bar. He helped many people during the “Dirty War” in Argentina. After he had been chosen by the Cardinals Pope, Francis sat alone in a room to decide whether to accept the post or not. He told the journalists that he had chosen the name in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi and done so because he was especially concerned for the well-being of the poor.
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