Jun 04, 2014 a revolt at rome directed against the emperor forced otto and the pope to flee. Are we speaking to the pope sylvester that appeared before yes, 1 and 2 pope sylvester i served from 314 335 ad, pope sylvester ii served from 999 1003. The pope has been a vastly influential figure in history. The boy was the son of a commoner named agilbert, a native of aquitaine, and. Did a pope and an emperor team up to erase 300 years. A revolt at rome directed against the emperor forced otto and the pope to flee. Pope alexander iii was pitted against roman emperor frederick i and against king henry ii of england, and pope innocent iii, despite opposition by emperor otto iv and emperor frederick ii, made himself virtual arbiter of the west. Pope sylvester i and 18 related entities entities finder. It was a rather strict benedictine monastery and was independent of any local control, being subject only to the pope in rome.
He endorsed and promoted study of arabgrecoroman arithmetic, mathematics, and astronomy, reintroducing to europe the abacus and armillary sphere, which had been lost to europe since the end of the grecoroman era. But in the ninth century, as the expense of financing all these churches and clergy became enormous, some local governments began to excise additional taxes on the people, which went to help cover the costs of maintaining the church buildings and clergy. Prior to being pope, he served as the bishop of sabina, a diocese in central italy. Pope giovanni born, died oct 1063 pope emeritus of roma rome event place birth place. Gerbert took the name of sylvester ii, alluding to pope sylvester i 314335, the advisor to emperor constantine i 324.
Pope sylvester ii, originally known as gerbert of aurillac,n 1 was a frenchborn scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of rome and ruled the papal states from 999 to his death. In the sixth century, it became customary for the pope to take a. However, he does make a good argument in his book a history of the. The thirtythird bishop of rome, sylvester was consecrated january 31, 314 and was buried december 31, 335, having completed nearly 22 years as head of the church at rome. Pope simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The book uses the life of gerbert of aurillac, a monk who became the bishop of bobbio and later ravenna, and ultimately was elevated to pope and is known as sylvester ii. Henry called a synod and immediately disposed sylvesterwho didnt want it and bendictwho. The youngest pope in history was a tween who ruled 3. Gerbert of aurilliac, pope sylvester ii, was perhaps first christian known to teach maths using arab numerals and zero, who got the science books translated. The current pope is pope francis popes are elected by cardinals of the catholic church. Popes and antipopes are antipopes anything new in the catholic church.
Gerbert of aurillac ascended the chair of peter as pope sylvester ii. Legend has it that he was ordained by pope marcellinus before the diocletian persecutions began. Sylvester ii amazing bible timeline with world history. The boy was the son of a commoner named agilbert, a native of aquitaine, and he named his son gerbert upon his birth. Popes sylvester iii,pope benedict ix and pope gregory vi all laid claim to the papacythanks to that rotten benedict and all of his shenanigans. Sylvester was a member of the crescentii family, the powerful group who liked to play hatfields and mccoys with the family of pope benedict ix. Dec 27, 2017 popes sylvester iii,pope benedict ix and pope gregory vi all laid claim to the papacythanks to that rotten benedict and all of his shenanigans. Born gerbert daurillac gerbert of aurillac, he was a prolific scholar and teacher. Jan 01, 2010 the abacus and the cross did not work for me. He met with pope gregory, benedict, and the former pope sylvester at the town of sutri, right outside of rome. Pope alexander iii simple english wikipedia, the free. Pope sylvester ii silvester he was the first french pope born in 950ad and died in 1003 ad introduced arab arithmetic, astrology and astronomy to europe he reigned as pope from 999 til his. It is said that the lateran palace was given to pope sylvester i by constantine.
Jan 12, 2017 the youngest pope in history was a tween who ruled 3 separate times in his life. Gerbert was born in the region of auvergne in central france. Peter, one of the original apostles of jesus christ. Pope sylvester ii was born in or near the town of aurillac in western francia around 945946. He was bishop of sabina when elected pope in january 1045 by a faction that.
Pope sylvester iii october 1063, born john in rome, was bishop of rome and ruler of the papal. Western feast day december 31, eastern feast day january 2, pope from 314 to 335, whose long pontificate saw the beginnings of the christian roman empire little is known about sylvesters early life. His violent and licentious conduct provoked the roman people, and in january 1044 the residents of the city elected john of sabine, under the name of pope sylvester iii, to replace him. But sylvester was quickly driven out by benedicts brothers and fled for his life into the sabine hills. The pope is the leader of the roman catholic church, and is, according to catholic teaching, gods representative on earth. He was a saintly pope who understood the conflicts his bishops suffered in. Pope sylvester i also silvester, died 31 december 335, was pope of the catholic church from 314 to his death in 335. It took just two months for benedict ix to depose sylvester iii and return to power. He is regarded as the 33rd pope of the catholic church. The people of rome had a high regard for pope sylvester. Sylvester ii, also spelled silvester, original name gerbert of aurillac, born c.
So is there some sort of historical basis, however mythical, for this claim about pope sylvester ii. Pope sylvester iii was born giovanni dei crescenziottaviani in rome around the year. On 27 december he called a second synod at todi on account of the difficulties at gandersheim, and shortly after was present at ottos death. He filled the see of rome at an important era in the history of the western church, yet very little is known of him. He endorsed and promoted study of arab and grecoroman arithmetic, mathematics, and astronomy, reintroducing to europe the abacus and armillary sphere, which had been lost to latin europe since the end of the grecoroman era. Movie makers usually wildly exaggerate, misinterpret history and mistake myth for history, but rarely insert purely arbitrary historical claims into their movies. Catholic encyclopedia 19pope sylvester ii wikisource. His third time as pope changed the course of european history. He endorsed and promoted study of arabgrecoroman arithmetic, mathematics, and astronomy, reintroducing to europe the abacus and armillary sphere, which had been lost to europe since the end of the greco. Gerbert daurillac, he was a prolific scholar and teacher. The following month, however, benedicts supporters in turn expelled sylvester. The chaos that resulted as each man represented himself as the true pope was too much, and king henry iii of germany rode south to settle the matter. Gerbert now became the teacher of otto iii, and pope gregory v 996999, otto iiis cousin, appointed him archbishop of ravenna in 998. Is there a historical basis to this movies claim about.
To be fair to pope sylvester ii, though, when youre handed the papacy in the year 999, youre pretty much obligated to. In march of 1045, a bishop of sabina became pope sylvester iii. However, he does make a good argument in his book a history of the church in the middle ages. The fact that the pontificate coincided with the reign of roman emperor constantine i has contributed heavily to such legends. Walter map maintains the hypothesis that meridiana was the lover and friend and counselor, and confidant the mathematician and scholar gerbert of aurillac, who would become pope sylvester ii, more known as the pope of the millennium, and whose pontificate, brief and agitated by continuing conflict, spread between 999 and 1003. The pope is one of the most important religious figures in the world.
Not much is known about him, but legends surround him. A presbyter when elected to succeed pope miltiades melchiades, sylvester was consecrated on january 31, 314. He was bishop of sabina when elected pope in january 1045 by a faction that had driven pope benedict ix out of rome. Note that constantines law did not even mention sabbath but referred to the mandated rest day as a the venerable day of the sun. Pope benedict xvi is the only pope to resign in the last 500 years. Sylvester iii, pope from january 20 to february 10, 1045. Sylvester i, also spelled silvester, born, rome italydied 335, rome. The youngest pope in history was a tween who ruled 3 separate. The abacus and the cross and millions of other books are available for instant. A history of the popes tells the story of the oldest living institution in the western worldthe papacy. Donald logan, a history of the church in the middle ages, 2nd edition, routledge. Innocents reign 11981216 marked the zenith of papal secular power.
When pope benedict ix was driven from rome in september, 1044, john, bishop of sabina, was elected after fierce and protracted infighting and took the title of silvester iii in january, 1045. Julius became one of the most powerful rulers of his time, and he was more concerned with political matters than theological ones. Pope sylvester ii, onehalf of a spiritualpolitical duo, along with otto iii, the last. Perhaps the church leaders noticed this laxity as well, for just four years later, in a. Catholic church admits they made the change sabbath truth. Unfortunately, as pope gregory vi, he achieved little in rome before benedict and the antipope sylvester iii returned.
A native roman, sylvesters parents were rufinus and justa. He was a saintly pope who understood the conflicts his bishops suffered in being loyal to rome and to constantine. Works by this author published before january 1, 1925 are in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. This situation is sufficient excuse for the publication of a new book of translations of important medi. Pope sylvester iii or silvester iii october 1063, born giovanni dei crescenzi ottaviani in rome, was pope from 20 january to march 1045. The use of original sources in the teaching of medi. He was then taken by a spanish count to spain, where he studied at barcelona and also under arabian teachers at cordova and seville, giving much. Popes are elected by cardinals of the catholic church. Pope sylvester ii project gutenberg selfpublishing. Saint sylvester was born in rome around the year 250. Sylvester i very little is known about the early life of pope sylvester i died 335, and for centuries his pontificate was shrouded in legend.
Sep 25, 2017 10 superspecific doomsday predictions that didnt pan out. Early life pope sylvester ii was born in or near the town of aurillac in western francia around 945946. Translations or editions published later may be ed. To be fair to pope sylvester ii, though, when youre handed the papacy in the year 999, youre pretty much obligated to predict the. Upon the death of pope john xix in october 1032, the papal throne became the subject of dispute between rival factions of nobles. He is recorded on the biblical timeline chart with world history at 1003 ad. Pope sylvester iii october 1063, born john in rome, was bishop of rome and ruler of. From its origins in saint peter, jesus chief disciple, through pope benedict xvi today, the popes have been key players in virtually all of the great dramas of the western world in the last two thousand years.
Posthumous works may be ed based on how long they have been published in certain countries and areas. Donald logan, a history of the church in the middle ages, 2nd edition, routledge, 20, 96. The youngest pope in history was a tween who ruled 3 separate times in his life. He is a bishop who claims to be the pope, but was not canonically elected as bishop of rome supreme pontiff. The mosaic law about the tithe was used to justify this additional tax. With the emperors support, he was elected to succeed gregory v as pope in 999. Sylvester i was the bishop of rome from 314 until his death. The premise of the book, the story of the pope gerbert of aurillacsylvester ii who brought the light of science to the dark ages, was intriguing but i dont feel nancy marie brown delivered. Pope julius ii was known for sponsoring some of the greatest artwork of the italian renaissance, including the ceiling of the sistine chapel by michelangelo. Sylvester ii, detail from the ivory vessel used at the consecration of otto iii. Sylvesters memory is especially connected with the titular church of equitius, which takes its name from a roman presbyter who is said to have erected this church on his property.
Sylvester was obliged to remain away for several months, during which the city suffered party quarrels. From his previous message, we assumed his spirit had been reincarnated and his spirit had served both incarnate papal terms. When gregory v died on 18 february, 999, gerbert was elected his successor through the influence of the emperor, and took the name of sylvester. Henry called a synod and immediately disposed sylvesterwho didnt want it and bendictwho didnt deserve it,and gregorywho bought itwas forced to resign. No doubt the pope helped towards the construction of these churches. Is there a historical basis to this movies claim about pope.
His fouryear reign as bishop of rome, between 999 and 1003, coincided with the end of the millennium, when many in western europe 2 believed the world might end at midnight. And how kind he was to allow people to observe it as it was convenient. Peter founded the christian church in rome in the days of the pagan roman empire. Politically, he is also the head of state of the vatican city. He endorsed and promoted study of arab grecoroman arithmetic, mathematics, and astronomy, reintroducing to europe. The new head of the church administered his high office with great earnestness and a profound sense of responsibility.
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