Pope Gregory XII
| Pope Gregory XII | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Rome | |
| Portrait of Gregory XII as Gregory I by van Gent and Berruguete ( c. 1476, Ducal Palace, Urbino )
Portrait of Gregory XII as Gregory I by van Gent and Berruguete ( c. 1476, Ducal Palace, Urbino )
| |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Papacy began | 30 November 1406 |
| Papacy ended | 4 July 1415 |
| Predecessor | Innocent VII |
| Successor | Martin V |
| Opposed to | Avignon claimant: Benedict XIII Pisan claimants: Alexander V John XXIII |
| Previous posts | Bishop of Castello (1380–1390) Bishop of the Island of Negrepont (1387–1390) Titular Patriarch of Constantinople (1390–1405) Cardinal-Priest of San Marco (1405–1406) Bishop of Macerata-Tolentino (1415–1417) Apostolic Administrator of Constantinople (1406–1409) Cardinal-Bishop of Porto e Santa Rufina (1415–1417) |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 1390 |
| Created cardinal | 12 June 1405 by Innocent VII |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Angelo Corraro (or Corario)[1] c. 1327 Venice, Republic of Venice |
| Died | 18 October 1417 (aged 89–90) Recanati, Marche, Papal States |
| Other popes named Gregory | |
Pope Gregory XII (Latin: Gregorius XII; Italian: Gregorio XII; c. 1327 – 18 October 1417), born Angelo Corraro, Corario,[1] or Correr,[2] was head of the Catholic Church from 30 November 1406 to 4 July 1415. Reigning during the Western Schism, he was opposed by the Avignon claimant Benedict XIII and the Pisan claimants Alexander V and John XXIII. Gregory XII wanted to unify the Church and voluntarily resigned in 1415 to end the schism.[3]
Early life
Angelo Corraro was born in Venice of a noble family, about 1327, son of Niccolò di Pietro Correr and wife Polissena,[4] and was appointed Bishop of Castello in 1380, succeeding Bishop Nicolò Morosini.[4] He was uncle of cardinal Antonio Correr and cardinal Gabriele Condulmer, future Pope Eugene IV.
On 1 December 1390, he was made titular Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. On 12 June 1405, he was created cardinal and the Cardinal-Priest of San Marco by Pope Innocent VII. He was Apostolic Administrator of Constantinople from 30 November 1406 to 23 October 1409.[5]
Pontificate
Gregory XII was chosen at Rome on 30 November 1406 by a conclave consisting of only fifteen cardinals under the express condition that, should Antipope Benedict XIII (1394–1423), the rival papal claimant at Avignon, renounce all claim to the papacy, he would also renounce his, so that a fresh election might be made and the Western Schism (1378–1417) ended.[4]
Negotiations to end the schism
The two claimants opened wary negotiations and met at a neutral location Savona in Liguria, but soon began to waver in their resolve. The Corraro relatives of Gregory XII in Venice and King Ladislaus of Naples, a supporter of Gregory XII and his predecessor for political reasons, used all their influence to prevent the meeting, and each claimant of the papal title feared being captured by partisans of his rival.[4]
The cardinals of Gregory XII openly showed their dissatisfaction at this manoeuvring and gave signs of their intention to abandon him. On 4 May 1408, Gregory XII convened his cardinals at Lucca and ordered them not to leave the city under any pretext. He tried to supplement his following by creating four of his Corraro nephews cardinals – including the future Pope Eugene IV, despite his promise in the conclave that he would create no new cardinals. Seven of the cardinals secretly left Lucca and negotiated with the cardinals of Benedict XIII concerning the convocation of a general council by them, at which both Gregory XII and Benedict XIII should be declared deposed and a new pope elected. Consequently, they convoked the Council of Pisa and invited both claimants to be present. Neither Gregory XII nor Benedict XIII appeared.
Meanwhile, Gregory XII stayed in Rimini with the family of his loyal and powerful protector, the condottiero Carlo I Malatesta.[6] Malatesta went to Pisa in person during the process of the council to support Gregory XII. At the fifteenth session, 5 June 1409, the Council of Pisa declared that it deposed both Gregory and Benedict as schismatical, heretical, perjured, and scandalous; they pronounced that they had elected Alexander V (1409–10) later that month.[7] Gregory XII, who had meanwhile created ten more cardinals, had convoked a rival council at Cividale del Friuli, near Aquileia; but only a few bishops appeared. Gregory XII's cardinals pronounced Benedict XIII and Alexander V schismatics, perjurers, and devastators of the Church, but their pronouncement went unheeded. Gregory XII was very saddened by the way he was treated; he also had some adventures while barely escaping from enemies and former friends.[8]
Resolution of the schism
The Council of Constance finally resolved the situation. Gregory XII appointed Carlo Malatesta and Cardinal Giovanni Dominici of Ragusa as his proxies. The cardinal then convoked the council and authorized its succeeding acts, thus preserving the formulas of papal supremacy.
Thereupon on 4 July 1415, Gregory XII's resignation was pronounced in his name by Malatesta and accepted by the cardinals. As they had agreed previously, they retained all the cardinals created by Gregory XII, thus satisfying the Corraro clan, and appointed Gregory XII Bishop of Frascati, Dean of the College of Cardinals and perpetual legate at Ancona. The Council then set aside Antipope John XXIII (1410–15), the successor of Alexander V. After the former follower of Benedict XIII appeared, the council declared him deposed, ending the Western Schism. A new Roman pontiff, Martin V, was elected after the death of Gregory XII, which many took as an indication that Gregory had been the true pope.[9] Therefore, the papacy was vacant for two years.
Retirement and death
The rest of the life of the former pope was spent in peaceful obscurity in Ancona. He was the last pope to resign until Benedict XVI did so on 28 February 2013, almost 600 years later.[10]
Historiography
The Annuario Pontificio has historically recognized the decisions of the Council of Pisa (1409). Until the mid-20th century, the Annuario Pontificio listed Gregory XII's reign as 1406–1409, followed by Alexander V (1409–1410) and John XXIII (1410–1415).[11] However, the Western Schism was reinterpreted when Pope John XXIII (1958–1963) chose to reuse the ordinal XXIII, citing "twenty-two Johns of indisputable legitimacy".[12] This is reflected in modern editions of the Annuario Pontificio, which extend Gregory XII's reign to 1415. Alexander V and the first John XXIII are now considered to be antipopes.
See also
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
Pope Gregory XII — (ANGELO CORRARIO, now CORRER).
Legal pope during the Western Schism; born at Venice, of a noble family, about 1327; died at Recanati, 18 October, 1417.
He became Bishop of Castello in 1380 and titular Patriarch of Constantinople in 1390. Under Pope Innocent VII he was made Apostolic secretary, the Legate of Ancona, and finally, in 1405, Cardinal-Priest of San Mareo. It was due to his great piety and his earnest desire for the end of the schism that after the death of Innocent VII the cardinals at Rome unanimously elected him pope on 30 Nov., 1406. He took the name of Gregory XII. Before the papal election each cardinal swore that in order to end the schism he would abdicate the papacy if he should be elected, provided his rival at Avignon (Benedict XIII) would do the same. Gregory XII repeated his oath after his election and to all appearances had the intention to keep it. On 12 Dec., 1406, he notified Benedict XIII of his election and the stipulation under which it took place, at the same time reiterating his willingness to lay down the tiara if Benedict would do the same. Benedict apparently agreed to the proposals of Gregory XII and expressed his desire to have a conference with him. After long negotiations the two pontiffs agreed to meet at Savona. The meeting, however, never took place. Benedict, though openly protesting his desire to meet Gregory XII, gave various indications that he had not the least intention to renounce his claims to the papacy; and Gregory XII, though sincere in the beginning, also soon began to waver. The relatives of Gregory XII, to whom he was always inordinately attached, and King Ladislaus of Naples, for political reasons used all their efforts to prevent the meeting of the pontiffs. The reason, pretended or real, put forth by Gregory XII for refusing to meet his rival, was his fear that Benedict had hostile designs upon him and would use their conference only as a ruse to capture him. The cardinals of Gregory XII openly showed their dissatisfaction at his procedure and gave signs of their intention to forsake him. On 4 May, 1408, Gregory XII convened his cardinals at Lucca, ordered them not to leave the city under any pretext, and created four of his nephews cardinals, despite his promise in the conclave that he would create no new cardinals. Seven of the cardinals secretly left Lucca and negotiated with the cardinals of Benedict concerning the convocation of a general council by them at which both pontiffs should be deposed and a new one elected. They summoned the council to Pisa and invited both pontiffs to be present. Neither Gregory XII nor Benedict XIII appeared. At the fifteenth session (5 June, 1409), the council deposed the two pontiffs, and elected Alexander V on 26 June, 1409. Meanwhile Gregory stayed with his loyal and powerful protector, Prince Charles of Malatesta, who had come to Pisa in person during the process of the council, in order to effect an understanding between Gregory XII and the cardinals of both obediences. All his efforts were useless. Gregory XII, who had meanwhile created ten other cardinals, convoked a council at Cividale del Friuli, near Aquileia, for 6 June, 1409. At this council, though only a few bishops had appeared, Benedict XIII and Alexander V were pronounced schismatics, perjurers, and devastators of the Church.
Though forsaken by most of his cardinals, Gregory XII was still the true pope and was recognized as such by Rupert, King of the Romans, King Ladislaus of Naples, and some Italian princes. The Council of Constance finally put an end to the intolerable situation of the Church. At the fourteenth session (4 July, 1415) a Bull of Gregory XII was read which appointed Malatesta and Cardinal Dominici of Ragusa as his proxies at the council. The cardinal then read a mandatory of Gregory XII which convoked the council and authorized its succeeding acts. Hereupon Malatesta, acting in the name of Gregory XII, pronounced the resignation of the papacy by Gregory XII and handed a written copy of the resignation to the assembly. The cardinals accepted the resignation, retained all the cardinals that had been created by him, and appointed him Bishop of Porto and perpetual legate at Ancona. Two years later, before the election of the new pope, Martin V, Gregory XII died in the odour of sanctity.
SALEMBIER, Le Grand Schisme d'Occident (Paris, 1900), 225-267, 357, 363; tr. M. D., The Great Schism of the West (New York, 1907), 218-258, 344-357; SAUERLAND, Gregor XII. von seiner Wahl bis zum Vertrag von Marseille in SYBEL'S Historische Zeitschrift (Munich, 1875), XXXIV, 74-120; FINKE, Papst Gregor XII. und Konig Sigismund im Jahre 1414 in Romische Quartalschrift (Rome, 1887), I, 354-69; LISINI, Papa Gregorio XII e i Senesi in Rassegna Nazionale (Florence, 1896), XCI.
References
- Back to citation occurrence 1.0 Back to citation occurrence 1.1 "Baynes, T. S; Smith, W. R., eds. (1880). "Gregory XII.". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 11 (9th ed.). New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. p. 178.
- Back to citation Miranda, Salvador (2022). "Correr, Angelo". The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church – Biographical Dictionary. Archived from the original on 15 January 2018.
- Back to citation Riccoboni, Bartolomea (2000). Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press. pp. 60–63. ISBN 0-226-71789-5.
- Back to citation occurrence 4.0 Back to citation occurrence 4.1 Back to citation occurrence 4.2 Back to citation occurrence 4.3 Ott, Michael. "Pope Gregory XII." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 7. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 30 December 2015
- Back to citation "Titular Episcopal See of Castello". GCatholic. 19 December 2022.
- Back to citation Creighton, Mandell (1919). A History of the Papacy from the Great Schism to the Sack of Rome. Volume I. London: Longmans, Green, and Company. p. 223
- Back to citation Caulfield, Philip (11 February 2013). "Pope Gregory XII, the last pope to resign, stepped down amid the Great Western Schism in 1415". Daily News. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- Back to citation Riccoboni, Bartolomea (2000). Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press. pp. 57, 59. ISBN 0-226-71788-7.
- Back to citation Riccoboni, Bartolomea (2000). Life and Death in a Venetian Convent: the chronicle and necrology of Corpus Domini, 1395–1436. Chicago & London: The University of Chicago Press. p. 63. ISBN 0-226-71788-7.
- Back to citation "Pope Benedict XVI to resign citing poor health". BBC News. 11 February 2013.
- Back to citation Annuario pontificio per l'anno 1942. Rome: Vatican Publishing House. 1942. p. 21. “205. Gregorio XII, Veneto, Correr (c. 1406, cessò a. 1409, m. 1417) – Pont. a. 2, m. 6. g. 4. 206. Alessandro V, dell'Isola di Candia, Filargo (c. 1409, m. 1410). – Pont. m. 10, g. 8. 207. Giovanni XXII o XXIII o XXIV, Napoletano, Cossa (c. 1410, cesso dal pontificare 29 mag. 1415”
- Back to citation "I Choose John..." Time. 10 November 1958. p. 91.
External links
- Media related to Pope Gregory XII at Wikimedia Commons
- Works by or about Gregory XII at Wikisource