|
||
Name:
Pope Urban VIII
Born: Maffeo Barberini
Preceded by: Gregory XV (1621 - 1623)
Succeeded by: Innocent X (1644 - 1655)
Roman Catholic Pope #236
Dates:
Born: April 1568 (Florence, Italy)
Died: July 29, 1644
Pope: August 6, 1623 - July 29, 1644 (20 years, 11 months)
Consecrated St. Peter's Basilica: November 18, 1626
Condemned Galileo: 1633
Censured Cornelius Jansen: 1642
Biography:
Pope Urban VIII is known for a number of things, not least of which was his nepotism.
Historians have even gone so far as to label his actions "reckless nepotism" because
he went so much further than other popes. A brother and two nephews were made
cardinals and many other members of his family were advanced in the Church hierarchy.
Urban VIII is also known for some rather unorthodox beliefs. His fears of others caused him to turn to magicians for protection, even having them perform a ceremony to ward off evil spirits. He also had horoscopes draw up for important figures so as to know exactly when they would die. Despite his own penchant for such unorthodox ideas, he did not hesitate to condemn the ideas of Galileo or of censuring a book by Conelius Janesen.
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.
