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Name:
Pope Benedict XV
Born: Giacomo Della Chiesa
Preceded by: St. Pius X (1903 - 1914)
Succeeded by: Pius XI (1922 - 1939)
Roman Catholic Pope #259
Dates:
Born: November 21, 1854 (Italy)
Died: January 22, 1922
Pope: September 1, 1914 - January 22, 1922 (7 years)
Joan of Arc Canonized: 1920
Biography:
Benedict XV was pope during the period of World War I, an conflict which produced
unheard of death and devastation in Europe and which fundamentally shattered
many people's faith in modern science, rationality and modernity in general. Benedict
himself was rendered largely inconsequential during the war - although he pursued
neutrality even while he condemned atrocities, his peace proposals were generally
rejected and when the final peace settlement was being negotiated, he was given no
role at all.
In fact, his efforts to remain completely neutral resulted in both sides of the conflict regarding him as being complicit with the other. He had established a "missing persons" agency to help people displaced during the war become reunited with each other but he was forced to close it down because various government grew suspicious that it was being used for espionage.
Benedict was also active in the effort to unify all of Christianity under a single leadership (namely, the pope's). To that end, he established the Congregation for the Oriental Church and the Pontifical Oriental Institute in Rome in 1917 as part of the long-standing Catholic desire to bring the Eastern Orthodox churches under Roman control.
Also Known As: none
Alternate Spellings: none
Common Misspellings: none
Related Resources:
-->Popes and the Papacy: History, Doctrines, News About Popes
The pope may be the most visible and famous symbol of the Catholic Church. It is the office of the papacy and the assumed link back to the original apostles that differentiates Roman Catholicism from other Christian denominations. The office of the papacy is rather complicated and, much to the chagrin of believers, comes with a rather checkered past.Pope John Paul II: Biography, History, and Policies
John Paul II has been one of the longest-lived and most influential popes in the history of the Catholic Church. For good or for ill, his policies and personality have helped shape not only the current character of Catholicism but also the direction Catholicism will take for generations to come. Because of that, it's important to take the time to carefully consider what his policies have been and how they have affected Catholics around the world.Electing the Next Pope: Index of Resources on Papal Elections
Every human is mortal, and that includes popes. Some live and reign for extraordinarily long times while others only serve for a few days, but in the end all die and a new pope must be elected. How are papal elections run? A papal election is a process that is shrouded in secrecy; the details of any one election are supposed to be kept hidden, but general information is known.Book Reviews: Roman Catholic Popes, Papacy, History
Who or what is the pope? The title pope stems from the Greek word papas, which simply means "father." Early in Christian history it was used as a formal title expressing affectionate respect for any bishop and sometimes even priests. Today it continues to be used in Eastern Orthodox churches for the patriarch of Alexandria.
