Nothing of note about Pope Francis in the media this week, so time to take up a topic that fascinates PopeWatch: favorite popes. The favorite pope of PopeWatch is Urban II who summoned the First Crusade.
Otho de Lagery was a fervent proponent of the Gregorian reforms. Named cardinal bishop of Ostia at the age of 38 in 1080. Elected Pope in 1088, he headed a divided Church with the foes of the Gregorian reforms having their own anti-Pope Clement III who controlled Rome, supported by Emperor Henry IV, the archenemy of Pope Gregory VII. The first years of his pontificate he wandered in exile, calling reforming Synods, until the pendulum of war turned against Henry.  It was six years before he was able to sit on the papal throne in the Lateran Palace.
Although remembered for the First Crusade, Pope Urban also forged an alliance with Roger I to spread Latin Christianity throughout southern Italy and Sicily. His papacy saw the victory of the reforms of the great Pope Gregory. He was ever a friend of learning, as typified by his extensive correspondence with Saint Anselm, the foremost philosopher of his day as well as Archbishop of Canterbury.
Pope Urban would be regarded as anathema by the powers that be in the Vatican today. One can imagine the mass faintings of Cardinals if these words were uttered by a Pope:
“All who die by the way, whether by land or by sea, or in battle against the pagans, shall have immediate remission of sins. This I grant them through the power of God with which I am invested. O what a disgrace if such a despised and base race, which worships demons, should conquer a people which has the faith of omnipotent God and is made glorious with the name of Christ! With what reproaches will the Lord overwhelm us if you do not aid those who, with us, profess the Christian religion! Let those who have been accustomed unjustly to wage private warfare against the faithful now go against the infidels and end with victory this war which should have been begun long ago. Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians. Let those who have been serving as mercenaries for small pay now obtain the eternal reward. Let those who have been wearing themselves out in both body and soul now work for a double honor. Behold! on this side will be the sorrowful and poor, on that, the rich; on this side, the enemies of the Lord, on that, his friends. Let those who go not put off the journey, but rent their lands and collect money for their expenses; and as soon as winter is over and spring comes, let hem eagerly set out on the way with God as their guide.”
Yet the viewpoint of Pope Urban II is the traditional view of the Church as indicated by his beatification by Pope Leo XIII in 1881. If Pope Urban II seems strange to our eyes, perhaps the fault lies with us rather than him.
Sylvester II
Pius V: Lepanto, Thomism, Palestrina, Borromeo
Keep the favorite popes coming. Pius V would be a close second for me. Sylvester II one of the more intriguing popes in our history.
Benedict the 16th, for the utterly frivilous reason that I can relate to him– and have, ever since I saw an interview with him geeking out on some aspect of theology while the… I think it was a lady, not sure… interviewing him had an expression I recognized very well from any time one of my geek friends got really excited about one of their fandoms in the direction of someone who really didn’t get it.
Opened my eyes to the possibility of, oh, history geeks, and clothing geeks, and pretty much any topic where people will fall in love with the topic itself and try to share their joy, not always recognizing that other folks can’t even recognize it.
Too many to choose from. Leo I and Pius XII both come to mind.
I might be unusual but Pope Urban II does not seem strange to me at all. I feel very comfortable with him and would cheer and clap were I there when he said these words: “Let those who for a long time, have been robbers, now become knights. Let those who have been fighting against their brothers and relatives now fight in a proper way against the barbarians….”
I also love his friend and predecessor Gregory VII-
What an exciting century theirs was- and what leadership they demonstrated- 1000 years ago
I like Leo XIII, Pius XII and Benedict XVI.
St. Peter (the LORD chose him and also for his love & faith despite his character and its flaws), and the saintly Popes who followed him; Pope St. John Paul II [the Great] and Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI (prophetic on Islam) and thanks to them TLM, CCC, etc.,; Pope Pius X: Holy Communion; Pope St. Gregory the Great; and I am beginning to learn and appreciate Pope St. Pius V. , feast day on April 30th (he is featured on our Parish calendar).
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All you saintly Popes, pray for the Church and for Pope Francis.
Well, I thought Pope watch would find it interesting that a well-placed religious sister with a very progressive (and shrinking) order recently returned from a joyous union with their members at the Rome mothrhouse; and in passing mentioned how, now the Vatican offices were actually paying people to attend the addresses of the current pontiff—a bit of a contrast from Pope Urban. She was quite open about it, being a big PF-er, and thought it too bad he was drawing such sparse audiences. Aposrently she picked up som re soldi in the process herself. We tsk-tsked our agreement.
“Well, I thought Pope watch would find it interesting that a well-placed religious sister with a very progressive (and shrinking) order recently returned from a joyous union with their members at the Rome mothrhouse; and in passing mentioned how, now the Vatican offices were actually paying people to attend the addresses of the current pontiff”
I have heard the same although I have been unable to verify it. I have heard that some of his audiences are sparse which is unusual for any Pope.
Pope Leo XIII and St. J.P. II the Great.
The former for the St.Michael the Archangel prayer and clear “heads-up,” for our time. The latter, because of his devotions to Our Lady and the great jubilee year of 2000 when I was invited back into our Fathers estate. My conversion year. Somehow I know St. J.P. II was a large part of coming home after squandering my inheritance.
Regarding the religious sister who visited Rome and the Vatican recently (and sorry for the mis-spellings in the prior post: I was on a mobile device), I am certain of the reliability of her report (that one of the Vatican offices is paying people to attend PF’s audiences now), having gotten to know her pretty well now for the last couple years. If the opportunity presents itself, I will ask her for a few more details (I wanted to know if this was being done for the Urbs et Orbi address on Easter especially). I just didn’t want to sound too interested when she mentioned it in passing (altho’ it took effort to seem matter-of-fact)
Peter, for his humility. “Depart from me Lord for I am a sinful man”. And followed by Uban II, Pio Nono, Leo XIII, Pius XII, John Paul II & Benedict XVI.
Benedict XVI for his “Eros must be engaged through agape” the remedy for our time. Pius XII for his wanting to resign to save the papacy, and Pius X for giving us Holy Eucharist everyday.
I’ve only attended one papal audience in my lifetime, about a year and a half ago. St. Peter’s Square was packed.
As for my favorite pope of my lifetime, it’s Benedict. I think it was Andrew Klavan who called him Europe’s last great man.
Just for perspective, I was able to attend a few papal audiences as a college student visiting Rome in the 1980’s; the Piazza S Pietro was always so incredibly packed (and this was “off-season”: not Christmas or Easter) that one really needed to get tickets (they were free) to get anywhere closer than the very entrance of the Bernini colonnades, where the very civil but firm carabinieri and Vatican police stood their posts. Throughout the 90’s and til recently the plaza was always full.
I should have waited: now I would get paid for the ticket, according to Sr. Mary Progressivo…
APRIL 30 St. Pius V, Pope Optional Memorial
Pope St. Pius, pray for the Church, for Pope Francis and us.