Pope from July 5, 1294 - December 13, 1294
Lived: c. 1215 - May 12, 1296
Birth name: Pietro Angelerio (aka Peter Morrone)
Who was this guy before he was pope?
Pietro Angelerio was born in Naples and entered the Benedictines at an early age. He was soon ordained a priest, and from then on his life consisted primarily of two things: solitude and penance. He kept a hermitage on Mt. Morrone and was known for sporting a hair shirt, wrapping himself in heavy chains, and fasting every day except Sunday. He also took four Lents during the year (because one isn’t enough?), during three of which he limited himself to eating only bread and water.
Okay, give me the scoop on Celestine V.
The election of Pope St. Celestine V is one for the ages. When the cardinals bickered for more than two years to elect a new pope, Celestine wrote to the Cardinal-bishop of Ostia warning of divine punishment for the Church if a new pontiff wasn’t chosen soon. The cardinal took it as providential – or maybe just said "okay wise guy, how about you be the new pope?" – and proposed the elderly hermit for what would be a short and unusual papacy. Celestine agreed to his election, but only through tears and a recognition of his call by the Holy Spirit following a brief prayer.
Without detracting at all from his holiness and virtue, Celestine was woefully ill-equipped for the new office. Noticing this himself before too long, Celestine ensured that it was legal for a pope to resign before doing so on December 13, 1294. His successor, Pope Boniface VIII, wishing to avoid crazed fans of Celestine holding him up as an antipope, had him confined in the Castle of Fumone for the remainder of his life.
Without detracting at all from his holiness and virtue, Celestine was woefully ill-equipped for the new office. Noticing this himself before too long, Celestine ensured that it was legal for a pope to resign before doing so on December 13, 1294. His successor, Pope Boniface VIII, wishing to avoid crazed fans of Celestine holding him up as an antipope, had him confined in the Castle of Fumone for the remainder of his life.
Reports that Boniface mistreated Celestine and perhaps even had him murdered (thanks a lot, Dan Brown) are utter nonsense. St. Celestine V died on May 19, 1296 and is buried in Aquila.
What was he known for?
Pope St. Celestine V is best known for being the last pope to willingly resign his office until Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI did so 719 years later. In fact, Celestine himself was the inspiration and solace of our beloved Benedict, who made a seemingly random visit to the saint’s tomb in 2009 and had a great devotion to him while pope.
Fun Fact...
St. Celestine became the namesake of a religious order he himself had founded while still a mere monk. Known then as the Hermits of St. Damian, the order blossomed out of fellow Benedictines being attracted to Celestine’s intensely ascetical way of life, and grew to include 600 men and 36 monasteries by his death.
Because Blessed Gregory X had outlawed the creation of any new orders after the Council of Lyon, Celestine convinced the good pope to make his order a branch of the Benedictines instead. The order changed its name when Celestine was elected pope, using the suffix “O.S.B. Cel.” to identify its monks. The Celestines were active until the 18th century.
Coming tomorrow....Pope Boniface VIII