Figure 1.--
|
Figure 1.-- |
Saint Peter is generally considered to be the first pope because Christ designated him as his most important desciple. Very little is known, however about the early popes. Leo played a major role in establishing the prestige of the papasct when he managed to disuade Atila from sacking Rome. As Europe emerged from the Dark Ages, the papacy endured a very difficult period. One source estimates that about a third of the popes selected from 872-1012 died violently, often at the hands of successors. The Church attempted to regularize the selection of popes by creating the College of Cardinals (1059). This innovation was not as significant as might be expected. The popes even after the creation of the College continued to be chosen from the same nobel Roman families from which earlier popes were selected. The papacy reached the zenith of its power at the beginning of the second millenium. Popes promoted crusades to the Holy Land. They struggled with empeors and kings over tempral matters. The pope had begun as the bishop of Rome came to claim almost imperial power, claiming both spirtual and temporal power over all Christendom. The Church was rent by the Great Schism (1303-1417). The split in the Church was resoved by the Council of Constance which also acted to stuffle dissent in the Church, an important step leading to the Reformation. Thus as Europe was being stimulated by the Renaissance, the Church and the papacy was trending toward limitations on thought and inquiry.
Saint Peter (32-67) is generally considered to be the first pope because Christ designated him as his most important desciple. Christ tells Peter that on him he would build his church. Very little is known, however about the early popes, especially the successors immediately following Peter. The Church has a very detailed list, but in fact virtually nothing is known about these early popes. There is no information on how they were chosen and howlong they served. The early Church appears to have been directed to the extent it was directed by a council of bishops. The bishop of Rome may have served as the chairman, but even this can not be confirmed. There were several important centers to the earlly church and Rome was only one if them. There is no Biblical basis for the Bishop of Rome acting as the absolute ruler of the Church. This appears to be more an artifact as adopting the Roman Empire as the organizational basis of the Church as well as the monarchial Feudal system that emerged after the fall of Rome. The first pope for which there is more detailed information about Pope Anicetus (155-166). Victor I (189-198) begins to energetically exert the claim of primacy. There was no way for early popes to exert any such primacy. For this Government support was needed and the Church was still an outlawed religion. This changed when Constantine entered Rome (312). Judging that the Empire was becoming Christian, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan making Christianity the official religion of the Empire. This did not establish the pope's primacy, but the pope's location in Rome leant great presyige as did subsequently the bishop of Constantinople who became patriarch of the Eastern or Orthodox Church. The Emper did act to supress Christian denominations ruled heretical by Church councils. Constantine supported the Church by financing the construction of churches. One of the most important of those churches was a bascilica built over the grave of St. Peter, the current location of the Vatican. Pope Leo the Great (440-61) played a major role in establishing the prestige of the papacy when he managed to disuade Atila from sacking Rome. The concept of the papacy begin to emerge in the middle of the 2nd Century.
Pepin the Short, King of the Franks, granted the pope territory in central Europe, making the pope a tempral ruler as well as Bishop of Rome. The importance of the papacy grew and was symbolized by the pope's crowing of Charlemagne.
As Europe emerged from the Dark Ages, the papacy endured a very difficult period. One source estimates that about a third of the popes selected from 872-1012 died violently, often at the hands of successors.
Selecting a pope became an increasingly corupt process settled by important Roman families. The result was the selection of scandalous popes like John XI (931). The Church attempted to regularize the selection of popes by creating the College of Cardinals (1059). This innovation was not as significant as might be expected. The popes even after the creation of the College continued to be chosen from the same nobel Roman families from which earlier popes were selected. Alexander III introduced the two-thirds rule (1179), in part to make in more difficult for European monarchs to influence the selection. This led to problems of its own, making it more diidicult to select the candidate. The papacy reached the zenith of its power at the beginning of the second millenium. Popes promoted crusades to the Holy Land, in part to reduce Feudal onlicts in Europe. They struggled with emperors and kings over tempral matters. The pope had begun as the bishop of Rome came to claim almost imperial power, claiming both spirtual and temporal power over all Christendom.
King Philip IV of France was known of as Philip the Fair because of his ability to avoid acne in an age unused to washing more than once a year. Philip faced many problems and he needed money to address them. An immediate problem was the English who persisted in ivading France. He also faced a continuing problem with the French nobility as well as the peasantry. In addition the papacy was objecting to some of his actions including seizing some church land and taxing the clergy. Philip responded by invading Italy and seizing Pope Boniface VIII who he ordered tortured to bring him into line. Boniface was freed and continued to denounce Philip. When Boniface then died, Philip was blamed for it. King Philip decided on a new policy to deal with the troublesome papacy. When the new Pope Clement V was elected by the College of Cardinals, Philip decided against sending another army into Italy to torture him. Instead, Philip decided to present a more charming side to the Papacy, and made a point of giving a splendid palace in the southern French City of Avignon. This lead to what has come to be called as the Babylonian or Avigon Captivity of the Papacy. Associated with this was the subsequent Great Schism (1378-1409)
The Church as the Europe began the transition from the Medieval era to the Renaisance became increasingly wealthy. There were a variety of reasons for this. First was the Church's dominance in Europe. Second was the importance people attached to religion and eternal life. Three was the the increasing level of commercial activity and the rise of cities. Even the turmault in the Church had a positive impact on finances. The popes in the security of Avignon could more efficently run the Church. The growing wealth had a number of adverse consequences. There was extravagant expenditures as the the princes of the Church sought to live on he same level of the nobility. Nepotism became an increasing problem as the popes appointment their illegitimate sons to important eclesiastical posts. In addition, nobels sought church posts because of the access to the wealth.
The split in the Church was resoved by the Council of Constance which also acted to stuffle dissent in the Church, an important step leading to the Reformation. Thus as Europe was being stimulated by the Renaissance, the Church and the papacy was trending toward limitations on thought and inquiry. The Council also esrablished the principle that the papacy was answerable to a church council.
France had been a major force supporting the Church, ig not always the papacy. The French Revolution took a decidely anti-clerical turn and eventually attacked Christianity itself. Rospierre at the peak of the Terror began to promote a new state religion. Napoleon by conquering Italy brought the Revolution to Rome itself. Napoleon eventually signed a concordant with the Church, but the Church was clearly subgegated in Napoleonic Europe. Two popes were arrested and dragged all over Europe.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to the Main Papacy page]
[Return to the Main Christianity page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]