|
||
Name:
Pope Gregory II
Preceded by: Constantine (708 - 715)
Succeeded by: St. Gregory III (731 - 741)
Roman Catholic Pope #89
Dates:
Born: ? (Rome, Italy)
Died: February 11, 731
Pope: May 19, 715 - February 11, 731 (15 years)
Biography:
Gregory II has become known for a variety of political successes and defeats. On
the positive side, he managed to stave off Lombard encroachments on Rome by
buying them off with 30 pounds of gold. He then used the relatively peaceful time
to expand the reach of Christianity in German lands to the north. On the negative
side, he was forced to excommunicate Byzantine emperor Leo III because of his
attempts to impose massive taxes on Italy.
Leo was also an Iconoclast, a "breaker of images" who opposed the presence of images and statues during Christian worship. He ordered all such images destroyed and tried to force Gregory to agree, but Gregory refused and Italy came to his defense. This in turn led to many years of civil wars and revolts between East and West.
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.
