4 historical facts about other deceased Popes

Not long ago, Pope Benedict XVI announced that he is retiring. This is the first such case in the past almost 600 years - the head of the Catholic Church leaving the papacy during his lifetime is extremely rare. We offer you four stories about the reasons for the previous Pope voluntarily retires:

1. Pope Benedict IX

In the Middle Ages, the papacy was quite different. Many popes were corrupt and depraved people, but few of them could compete in this with Benedict IX. He ascended to the papal throne in 1032, the year when he was only 18 years old, because his family was very powerful, and it belonged to two more popes before the ruling. However, the young Pope Benedict IX avoided his spiritual duties, preferring instead to hold an orgy in the Vatican - mostly with the assistance of some men. His contemporaries called him "a whore", "hellish demon" and "shame." One bishop even accused the head of the Catholic Church in the rape and murder. Since such behavior was unacceptable Pope, the Cardinals eventually paid him for the fact that he left the throne. Benedict accepted the resignation in 1045, the year.

2. Pope Gregory VI

Gregory VI became pope immediately after Pope Benedict IX resigned, in general, then, no surprise, since it was one of those who have paid a large sum of Benedict for his departure. However, the higher clergy of the church looked at it disapprovingly, and Gregory VI had to admit himself guilty of simony (buying of church positions). He left the papacy after only 18 months after it came to him.

3. Pope Celestine V

Pope Celestine V was so devout that because of that he had become a father. He was born into a poor family, at an early age entered the Benedictine Order, but then I decided to spend my life as a hermit, which went into the mountains. There he lived in 1292, the year when it came to the news of the death of the pope. Then he wrote a letter to the College of Cardinals that the new pope should be elected as soon as possible, otherwise God will be angry. The Cardinals did not think long and chose the letter writer.

The problem was only one - the post Celestine did not like. He even tried to flee the country before you agreed to try. As a result of five months of his reign, he issued a decree only three, the least of which was his act of abdication. Celestine was old and wanted to spend the rest of his life in a cave, but his successor, put him in custody, and Celestine died in prison.

4. Pope Gregory XII

Gregory XII became pope in no better time in the history of the Catholic Church. The fact that it was not the only one. Cardinals in Rome by Pope Gregory unconditionally recognized, but the French priests have put forward their own candidate, and he called his dad. Disagreements were called Western Schism, or the Great Schism and lasted almost 40 years. In 1409, the year the church council finally decided that it's easier to overthrow both Popes - Gregory XII and his rival, Benedict XIII, and elect a new - Alexander V. Both the pope refused to leave the throne, both were strong and influential supporters that became popes three. Finally, in 1415, the year Gregory XII agreed to put an end to this mnogopapiyu and resign, then spent the rest of his life in obscurity.

via factroom.ru