#Papal History

[deadpresidents]

which president met the most popes-john paul 2?

Yes, it's Pope John Paul II.

The first incumbent President to meet a Pope was Woodrow Wilson, who met Pope Benedict XV at the Vatican in 1919, so Presidents have really only been meeting with Popes for the past 100 years. So Pope John Paul II basically reigned as Pope for a quarter of the time (26+ years) that Presidents have been meeting with them.

But despite the length of John Paul II's reign, he didn't meet with significantly more Presidents than some of the other Popes. John Paul II met with five incumbent Presidents during his reign: Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush (he also met future President Joe Biden when Biden was a U.S. Senator). Pope Paul VI, who was Pope from 1963-1978, met with four incumbent Presidents: John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, and Gerald Ford. John Paul II would have probably met more Presidents if not for the fact that Reagan and Clinton were both re-elected and served the full eight years in office (Bush 43 was also re-elected, but John Paul II died just a few months into his second term).

Here's a full list of which incumbent Presidents met with which Popes:

•Pope Benedict XV [1]: Woodrow Wilson (1919) •Pope John XXIII [1]: Dwight D. Eisenhower (1959) •Pope Paul VI [4]: John F. Kennedy (1963); Lyndon B. Johnson (1965 & 1967--a meeting which featured one of my favorite Presidential stories ever); Richard Nixon (1969 & 1970); Gerald Ford (1975) •Pope John Paul II [5]: Jimmy Carter (1979 & 1980); Ronald Reagan (1982, 1984, & 1987); George H.W. Bush (1989 & 1991); Bill Clinton (1993, 1994, 1995, & 1999); George W. Bush (2001, 2002, & 2004) [John Paul II also met future Presidents George H.W. Bush during Bush's Vice Presidency and Joe Biden while Biden was a Senator.] •Pope Benedict XVI [2]: George W. Bush (2007 & 2008); Barack Obama (2009) [Benedict XVI also met future President Joe Biden during his Vice Presidency.] •Pope Francis [3]: Barack Obama (2014 & 2015); Donald Trump (2017); Joe Biden (2021) [Francis also met future President Biden on three occasions during Biden's Vice Presidency.]

Interestingly, Pope Pius IX, who reigned from 1846-1878 -- long before the United States formally established permanent diplomatic relations with the Holy See -- also met four Presidents during his reign (more than any Pope other than John Paul II), but they were all either former or future Presidents. Pius IX met former Presidents Martin Van Buren and Millard Fillmore in 1855 when they visited Rome (separately) and former President Franklin Pierce when he visited Rome in November 1857. And Pius IX met future President Theodore Roosevelt in December 1869 when Roosevelt's family visited the Vatican. Theodore Roosevelt is actually the only person who served as President known to have kissed the ring of a Pope -- even though Roosevelt wasn't Catholic and was only 11 years old. Former President Ulysses S. Grant met Pope Leo XIII in 1878 when visiting the Vatican during his post-Presidential world tour.

#History #Presidents #Popes #Popes and Presidents #Meetings Between Presidents and Popes #Pope John Paul II #Pope Paul VI #Pope Pius IX #Presidency #Papacy #Presidential History #Papal History #Vatican #Presidential Meetings #Papal Audiences

[18thcenturythirsttrap]

I'm just getting round to reading a reprint of an old book about Gracchus Babeuf which I bought ages ago. What's particularly marvellous about this reprint is that they've also reproduced all the adverts in the back of the original, which was produced by a left-wing press, eg. this ad for Louis Blanc's Histoire de la Révolution Française:

But also for this Histoire des Papes by Maurice La Chatre, which promises murders, poisonings, parricide, incest and all manner of crimes committed not only by the popes going back to St Peter but also by assorted kings, queens and emperors!

You have to admit, whatever he may have lacked in objectivity, M. La Chatre certainly sounds like he made up for it with fun.

#historiography #fun stuff #history of the french revolution #papal history

[kyliaquilor]

New book about Pope Pius XII: “On the matter of Hitler and the Nazi Regime, Pius set aside his moral leadership to maintain the power of the Catholic Church”

Me, who is pretty familiar with the history of the Catholic Church: “Sooooo... pretty on brand for a pope then?”

#History #Papal History #I mean seriously popes prioritizing Papal Power or the Institutional church over morality is like... #very on brand historically for the Papacy #Laugh Tag #Rolling My Eyes #The Papacy #The Papal States #World War Two #Pius XII

[mrsjdavis]

NOT the best use of ecclesiastical authority...

#really? REALLY? #how much u bet they were all Italians? #popes #papal history #catholicism *sigh*

[dougielombax]

Cadaver Synod: The Musical.

#dougie rambles #personal stuff #history #my poor attempt at a joke #cadaver #corpse #dead body #cadaver synod #papal history #papacy #christianity #catholicism #catholic church #unreality #what #no context #this sounded funnier in my head #political crap #shitpost #highbrow shitposting #musicals #musical #bad ideas #very bad ideas #pope Formosus

[deadpopes]

If I’m interested in learning more about Pope John Paul II, do you have any good book recs? Love both of your blogs by the way!!

Thank you! I’m sorry that I didn’t see this question earlier; I always tend to overlook the papal blog because I’m so terrible at updating it.

There are tons of books about Pope John Paul II, so I’ll try to narrow the suggestions down to a handful:

•George Weigel’s two-volume biography of John Paul II is almost certainly the best-known and definitive studies of John Paul II’s life from Poland to the Vatican. The first volume, Witness to Hope: The Biography of Pope John Paul II (BOOK | KINDLE), was originally published in 1999 and tracks the Polish Pope from birth until the turn of the millennium.

The second volume of Weigel’s biography, The End and the Beginning: Pope John Paul II -- The Victory of Freedom, the Last Years, the Legacy (BOOK | KINDLE), was published in 2010 and devotes almost the entire first half of the book to an in-depth look at John Paul II’s lifelong crusade against Communism. The other half of the book focuses on the Pope’s final years as his health began to fail and as he seemingly used his very public physical deterioration as a lesson in suffering, humility, and strength until his death in April 2005.

In 2017, Weigel published another book -- Lessons In Hope: My Unexpected Life with St. John Paul II (BOOK | KINDLE) -- which isn’t a traditional biography, but a much more personal book about Weigel’s journey as the Pope’s biographer and his relationship with John Paul II over the years. It’s unique compared to his formal biographies because it shows John Paul II from a different, more human perspective than that of the infallible “Keeper of the Keys to Heaven”.

Some of the other books that I’ll suggest are very good, but they can also feel incomplete because John Paul II’s papacy lasted so long that the authors were only able to capture certain parts of his reign.

•His Holiness: John Paul II and the Hidden History of Our Time (BOOK | Kindle not available) by Carl Bernstein and Marco Politi is one of those books that is solid but not a complete history of the Pope’s reign because it was published in 1996, nearly 10 years before John Paul II’s death. And, yes, the co-author is the Carl Bernstein of Washington Post/Watergate/All the President’s Men/Woodward & Bernstein fame.

•John Paul the Great: Remembering a Spiritual Father (BOOK | Kindle not available) by former Ronald Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan was published shortly after John Paul II’s death in 2005 and is excellent. Noonan’s book is also very personal to the author and paints a portrait of John Paul II that helps us understand what he meant to so many people. Noonan also helps explain the source of the Pope’s unique charisma and how he used his immense natural political gifts to reach his audiences. 

•The Pontiff In Winter: Triumph and Conflict in the Reign of John Paul II (BOOK | KINDLE) by John Cornwell is not the most flattering book about Pope John Paul II, but it is an important book to get a balanced understanding of his life and of the health of the Catholic Church towards the end of John Paul II’s papacy. Cornwell has long been one of the best connected Vatican journalists and this book is important because it questions how much blame should have or could have been placed on John Paul II for the scandals and corruption that simmered below the surface inside the Vatican throughout his reign.

•John Paul II: My Beloved Predecessor (BOOK | Kindle not available) is a short collection of writings and homilies by Pope Benedict XVI that he wrote about John Paul II over the years -- as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger while John Paul II was alive, and as Benedict XVI after succeeding John Paul II in 2005. There’s nothing earth-shattering in the book, but it’s an interesting look at one Pope directly from the pen of another Pope.

•The last recommendation isn’t a book about Pope John Paul II, but a book written by John Paul II: The Place Within: The Poetry of Pope John Paul II (BOOK | Kindle not available). This book of poetry written by John Paul II at various points throughout his long life is an incredibly unique window into the soul of a Pope. Some of the poems -- which are translated into English from John Paul II’s native language of Polish by Jerzy Peterkiewicz -- are quite good! Like I said, it’s not a biography of John Paul II, but in many ways reading his poetry can be just as revealing.

#Books #Book Suggestions #Book Recommendations #Popes #History #Pope John Paul II #John Paul II #Books about Popes #Papal History #Papacy #St. John Paul II #Pope St. John Paul II #George Weigel #Peggy Noonan #John Cornwell #Pope Benedict XVI #Joseph Ratzinger #Carl Bernstein #Marco Politi

[illustratus]

Cardinals' quarrel by Théobald Chartran

#théobald chartran #art #cardinal #cardinals #quarrel #sword #swords #history #europe #european #christianity #christian #religion #religious #duel #holy see #papal #church #cathedral #pope #vatican #archbishop

[escapismsworld]

📍Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican

#dark academia #light academia #classical #academia aesthetic #escapism #academia #books and libraries #classic literature #books #architecture #building #old #historical #exterior #history #papal #basilica #st peter's basilica #vatican #royal core #cottage core #aesthetic #academic #mood #vibe #tumblr

[blueiskewl]

A 14th-Century Papal Bull Discovered in Poland

A lead seal found in northwestern Poland has been identified as a rare papal bull from the reign of Pope Boniface IX (1350-1404). It was discovered in 2021 north of a former cemetery in the village of Budzistowo by metal detectorists with the PARSĘTA Exploration and Search Group. Dirt and corrosion made it difficult to identify at first. Specialists in Kraków cleaned and conserved it, revealing the inscription that marks it as the seal of Boniface IX.

Bullae were round seals, usually made of lead, that were hung on silk strings affixed to the parchments of official proclamations and documents. They were legally valid and highly recognizable signatures. Metallurgic analysis found that this one was made of pure lead derived from galenite deposits in Cyprus, Sardinia, Greece and Spain. This composition indicates the bull is original, not a later copy.

The reverse inscription reads: BONI/FATIUS/PP:VIIII. The obverse features the images of Saint Peter and Saint Paul identified by the inscription SPASPE above their heads.

In the 9th century, what is now Budzistowo was founded by Pomeranian tribes as the fortified settlement of Kołobrzeg. The settlement was on the Parsęta River 2.5 miles from its mouth on the Baltic Sea, and was rich in salt, fish, iron ore and arable land. The Polish Piast dynasty conquered the area in the 10th century, and Kołobrzeg grew into a regional center of the trade in salt and salt-cured fish.

It became a seat of a bishopric in 1000, but the area would only become thoroughly Christianized in the 12th century. St Mary’s church was built at that time. It was converted into an abbey in the 13th century when German settlers founded a new town of Kołobrzeg on the Baltic and the former Pomeranian stronghold was renamed Old Kołobrzeg. A monastery for Benedictine nuns was then built in Old Kołobrzeg.

Historians hypothesize that the bull was kept at the Benedictine monastery, based on a reference in the comprehensive history of Kołobrzeg written by the 18th century Pastor Johann Friedrich Wachsen. He recorded that in 1397, Boniface issued a letter of indulgence for the Benedictine nuns. It guaranteed a full indulgence to anyone who visited the local church.

With no relic relating to the monastery surviving to this day, [Dr Robert Dziemba, the head of the Kołobrzeg History Department,] says that if it is proved that this bull is the same one referenced by Wachsen it would be nothing short of “a historical revelation”. […]

Dziemba speculates that this particular papal bull may have been lost in the 16th century.

“After the 1534 congress in Trzebiatów introduced Lutheranism to Pomerania, the document simply lost its value,” he said. “Maybe the bull was thrown out when the duchy took control of the monastery as a result of this congress – but maybe it was lost centuries later. We will probably never know when and why it was discarded.”

The conserved bull has gone on display in the Museum of Arms in Kołobrzeg.

#A 14th-Century Papal Bull Discovered in Poland #Pope Boniface IX #lead seal #metal detecting #archeology #archeolgst #ancient artifacts #history #history news #ancient history #ancient culture #ancient civilizations #medieval history #middle ages #dark ages

[someone-you-do-not-know]

I kind of really don't like how the Risorgimento in Hetalia is framed as a thing done solely by Veneziano and how it supposedly came as a surprise to Romano. First of all, it was kind of a long process, so it's been boiled down way too much, but I can forgive that because it's meant to be funny.

What I can't really forgive is that Romano is made obsolete in the comic, despite how influential the South actually was in making the Risorgimento happen. Just based on the Wikipedia page (I don't have the energy to go through an actual history book rn), there was the Carboneria formed in Southern Italy, not to mention that the unification happened under the House of Savoy, which admittedly was northern, but they first gained the title of king when they took over Sicily, and later exchanged it for Sardinia. Previously, Savoy ruled over duchies, but it was first when they gained the title King of Piedmont-Sardinia they started to consider uniting Italy. Those two are just the most obvious examples, but there's plenty more if you look into it.

It's not so much that South Italy did not want the Risorgimento or had no hand in it, it's rather that the results of it ended up being a betrayal, not just to the South, but anyone who was not Piedmontese – however, that betrayal was felt especially by the South. At least that's how I'm reading it. I'm sure I still ended up simplifying it a lot, and if anyone wants to expand on this, please do so.

#hetalia #hws south italy #aph romano #hws romano #aph south italy #hws itabros #In my personal headcanon the nyos are also a part of it #Romano is Two Sicilys Romana is Sardinia Veneziano is Lombardy-Venetia and Veneziana is Tuscany #And then there's the more minor players #Also Papal States is Vatican #One day when I finally feel like I understand Italian history #I will write a historical hetalia fanfic exclusively about the Risorgimento #But for now #I'll just think about it and be petty #Not to mention how weird it is that Seborga has a canon representation #But San Marino doesn't #San Marino is an actual acknowledged micro state #Seborga isn't #I have so many issues with canon #This is why I don't follow canon #historical hetalia

[tanadrin]

so i'm looking at interfaith organizations on Wikipedia, and there's an interfaith organization called the world council of churches, which is an ecumenical body bringing together a ton of different christian denominations, like the anglican communion (crypto-catholics), mennonites (hardcore anabaptists), the assyrian church of the east (ancient nestorian tradition as old as the roman catholics and eastern orthodox church), and others. like, very little common doctrine apart from a couple of very basic elements, but we're not even talking all Chalcedonian Christians here.

and that's nice, i think. like, sure, i think religion is nonsense, but it's nice that after millennia of intra-christian warfare over that nonsense, there exists at least as a forum for dialogue an organization where all these different churches accept, as a base proposition, your religion is valid, and is not unlike my own.

you know who's not a member of the WCC? the roman catholic church, baby! because the official line of the holy see since 1928 (since forever, really) has been "yes, ecumenicalism is a great idea. that's why you should all convert to catholicism and lick the pope's balls. because that's what real mutual respect for different religious traditions looks like :). you respecting the taste of the pope's balls :). you can still do it in your own charming ethnic ways, of course, as long as you include that bit about how much you like the taste in your liturgy :)." since vatican II they have been quieter about this, but the underlying stance is unchanged.

like, does the vatican realize this is (one reason) why nobody likes them? of course the whole point of a religion with universalizing doctrine is that in the back of your mind you think everybody else is wrong, but part of being diplomatic is being polite and minimally smug about it, and i don't think the holy see could manage that if their lives depended on it. global christian unity has never existed and will never exist; you cannot get 2.2 billion people to agree on anything, but you can not actively shoot the idea of interfaith cooperation in the foot by being pricks about your disagreement.

#the papal claim to leading the church is just so obviously an organizational power grab #in the early history of an institution #that has since become a load-bearing part of catholic doctrine #and it is so self-evidently vapid and unjustifiable #that i am astonished anyone was ever willing to spill rivers of blood and ink defending it

[deadpresidents]

Pope Benedict XVI lying in state inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican, January 3, 2023.

#Pope Benedict XVI #Benedict XVI #Popes #Papal History #Papal Funerals #Funeral of Pope Benedict XVI #Vatican #St. Peter's Basilica #History #Death of Pope Benedict XVI #Pope Emeritus #Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI #Joseph Ratzinger

[verbjectives]

I feel like there's something very telling about the fact that I misread a steam game title as "Vatican simulator" rather than "vacation simulator" and that I am FAR MORE interested in whatever the former would be than what the latter is

#a papal history simulator would be so fucking funny and i want it so bad #verbs whines for ts

[pendraegon]

unfortunately. im back in my papal states during the renaissance fixation.

#ONE OF MY PERSONALLL FAVESSSS AND SOMETHING IVE BEEN INTO FOR LIKE 13+ YEARS LMAO #if u have been wondering why there's isn't much gawain and arthuriana stuff. sorry im busy reading up on papal drama as well as just #aristocratic family beef during this time period. i wish i could revive julius ii and alexander xi so they could fight to the death #on the dying platform that is twitter in the 21st century #if ur wondering what epochs in history im into. there's....a lot lmao.

[inexplicablymine]

Hello hello!!! Happy mildly belated nice ask day!!

What was your favorite subject in school growing up and is it one you still engage with today?

CARROT okay well I am like a million years behind on nice ask week so ...

Favorite subject growing up hmmm most years it was English though I was obsessed with my AP European history class and my AP Chemistry course was taught by someone who made chemistry so exciting it was magical to be in that classroom.

I definitely still engage with writing and English/Literature/Reading today and I know for a fact that my "AP EURO" notes binder is still being passed down year after year, it is a little piece of lore when I get an email from that teacher on which student has secured the binder for this school year.

#nice ask week #inexplicablymine answers #seriously that binder is a masterpiece #Handwritten notes in probably the best handwriting I will ever have #large mind maps #the entirety of the Papal History drawn out like a family tree #There were memorization pages and “tldr” sections of every era and piece #I think to this day that it might have been one of the greatest things I created

[dougielombax]

The Cadaver Synod should have a short film made about it.

It sounds funny as hell.

#personal stuff #dougie rambles #history #catholicism #christianity #papal history #cadaver synod