Pope Benedict III(Latin:Benedictus III;died 17 April 858) was thebishop of Romeand ruler of thePapal Statesfrom 29 September 855 to his death.[1]
Benedict III | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Rome | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Papacy began | 29 September 855 |
| Papacy ended | 17 April 858 |
| Predecessor | Leo IV |
| Successor | Nicholas I |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Rome,Papal States |
| Died | 17 April 858 |
| Other popes named Benedict | |
Early career
editLittle is known of Benedict's life before his papacy. His father was named Peter.[1]Benedict was educated, and lived inRomeand was appointed byPope Leo IVas cardinal-priest of the church ofSan Callisto.[2]Benedict had a reputation for learning andpiety.
Pontificate
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Benedict III waselectedupon the refusal of Adrian, the initial choice of theclergyand people. Arsenius,bishop of Orte,intercepted the legates sent to advise the emperor of the election and persuaded them to betray Benedict and convince the emperor name the bishop's nephewAnastasiusinstead. Anastasius had previously been excommunicated by Leo IV. The legates returned with the imperial envoys and had Benedict's election disavowed and Anastasius installed. Anastasius took his place at the Lateran and Benedict was imprisoned. However, local popular opinion was so strong that the Franks recognized Benedict's consecration. Benedict treated Anastasius and his adherents leniently.[3]The schism helped to weaken the hold of the emperors upon the popes, especially upon their elections.
Benedict intervened in the conflict betweenLothair II of Lotharingia,Louis II of Italy,andCharles of Provenceon the death of their father, EmperorLothair I.He wrote to the Frankish bishops, rebuking them for remaining silent in the face of the disorder affecting the Carolingian realms.[3]
Æthelwulf of Wessexand his son, the future kingAlfred the Great,visited Rome in Benedict's reign. The Schola Anglorum, which was destroyed by fire in 847, was restored by Benedict.[1]
A medieval tradition claimed thatPope Joan,a woman disguised as a man, was Benedict's immediate predecessor. The legendary Joan is generally believed to be fictitious.
References
edit- ^abcHerbermann, Charles, ed. (1913)..Catholic Encyclopedia.New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^J. N. D. Kelly, "Benedict III" inThe Oxford Dictionary of Popes,(2006).[page needed]
- ^abBrusher S.J., Joseph S., "Benedict III",Popes Through the Ages,Neff-Kane; 3rd edition (1980,ISBN978-0891411109[page needed]
Sources
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- Encyclopædia Britannica,9th edition (1880s)[full citation needed]
- Baix, F. (1935). "Benoît III pape", in:Dictionnaire d'histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques,VIII (Paris 1935), pp 14–27.(in French)
- Cheetham, Nicolas,Keepers of the Keys,New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1983.ISBN0-684-17863-X
- Davis, Raymond (1995).The Lives of the Ninth-century Popes (Liber Pontificalis): The Ancient Biographies of Ten Popes from A.D. 817-891.Liverpool University Press. pp. 161–188.ISBN978-0-85323-479-1.
- Duchesne, Louis (1892).Le Liber Pontificalis(in Latin and French). Vol. Tome II. Paris: E. Thorin. pp. 140–150.
- Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1903). Hamilton, Annie (ed.).History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages.Vol. III (second revised ed.). London: G. Bell & sons. pp. 115–120.
- Mann, Horace Kinder (1906).The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages.Vol. II. London: K. Paul, Trench, Trübner. pp. 308–328.
External links
edit- Bertolini, Ottorino (1966),"Benedetto III, papa",Dizionario Biografico degli ItalianiVolume 8 (1966)(in Italian)
- Benedictus III,Opera Omnia,published by J. P. Migne,Patrologia Latina,with analytical indexes