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[German Version] (1073 – May 25, 1085; Hildebrand, c. 1020, Sovana [?; Tuscany] – May 25, 1085, Salerno, interred there in the cathedral), canonized 1606 and 1728, and had an epoch-making influence through the “Gregorian Reform.” Educated in the Aventin Monastery in Rome, which was strongly influenced by Cluny, Gregory accompanied ( invitus) Pope Gregory VI into German exile in 1047. Recalled by Leo IX in 1049, he then held various offices in Rome as well as being papal legate in France (Berengar's repentance at Tours) and Germany from 1054 to 10…

[German Version] (Oct 6, 891 – Apr 4, 896). Before being elected pope, Formosus had been the cardinal bishop of Porto since 864 and had often functioned as a ¶ papal legate. In Bulgaria, there was a move in 868 to make him the archbishop of a church that would be separate from Byzantium, a move Pope Nicholas I denied because of the translation prohibition. After taking part in a Roman revolt against John VIII, Formosus was deposed and defrocked in 876 but then rehabilitated by the next pope. As pope he crowned Duke Wido of S…

[German Version] The science of the document (diploma) is considered one of the so-called auxiliary historical sciences, but it was also important in the judiciary. It developed in the 17th century out of the bella diplomatica between Bollandists and Maurists over the discrimen veri ac falsi in older monastic documents. After Innocent III promulgated criteria of authenticity because of forgery offenses, and Humanism developed the historical-philological method, with his De re diplomatica (Paris 1681) J. Mabillon gave diplomatics a scientific basis …

[German Version] When a new pope is elected (Pope, Election of), it has been the Roman custom since the early 11th century that he replace his baptismal name with a papal or regnal name. Some earlier instances provide justifications and exclusionary criteria. Unacceptable baptismal names included the names of gods (533, John II, changed from Mercurius), emperors (other than Hadrian; in 955 John XII changed his name from Ottaviano [Augustus]), and the prince of the apostles (Peter; 983, John XIV). …

[German Version] (Nov 22, 498 – Jul 19, 514). On the day that Symmachus, a deacon from Sardinia, was pope, the Roman archpriest was also appointed and consecrated; the conflict was referred to King Theodoric (analogously to the schism between Boniface I and Eulalius). In 499 Theodoric decided in favor of Symmachus, and Laurentius had to withdraw to the bishopric of Nocera. After Roman senators lodged accusations against Symmachus and the administrator appointed by Theodoric proved unable to preven…

[German Version] (c. 970 – Aug 15, 1038, Székesfehérvár). Married to the German princess Gisela, with Western help he completed the Christianization of the Magyars (not always nonviolently) begun by his father Geisa, against Byzantine competition, unifying the Magyars politically for the first time. Stephen organized the Catholic Church in Hungary under the archbishop of Esztergom, for which he was canonized in 1083 by Gregory VII. His appointment as papal legate is a legend, the presentation of t…

[German Version] I. Early Church – II. Middle Ages and Reformation – III. Modern Period and Today – IV. Chronological List of the Popes I. Early Church 1. Definition. If papacy is defined as the claim (based on Matt 16:16–19; 28:20; Luke 22:31f.; John 21:15–19) of the bishops of Rome as successors and heirs to Peter to leadership along with jurisdictional and magisterial primacy (I) within the universal church, papacy in the strict sense dates only from the Middle Ages in the Latin West. In the Early Church, the point at iss…