The Popes: From St. Peter to Present (Cont.)

G - H

Supreme Pontiff

Detail 

(dates*, ages, prior name, feast, comment/attributes, etc.)

St. Gelasius I [49]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: March 1, 492

End of Reign: November 21, 496

Date of Death: November 21, 496

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 4.5 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): November 21

Fought against heresies (especially Manichaeism). Asserted and promoted papal supremacy. Pointed out distinction between priestly and secular power. Was an active builder and prolific writer.

Gelasius II [162]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: January 24, 1118

End of Reign: January 28, 1119

Date of Death: January 28, 1119

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: "elderly"

Lived to Approx. Age: "old age"

Approx. Length of Reign: Just over 1 year

Prior Name (if different): John of Gaeta

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Shortly after election, he was attacked and imprisoned, and had to flee Rome. He also had to struggle with an antipope. He sanctioned the Norbertines.

St. Gregory I (the Great) [64]

Birth Date: c. 540

Beginning of Reign: September 3, 590

End of Reign: March 12, 604

Date of Death: March 12, 604

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 50

Lived to Approx. Age: 64

Approx. Length of Reign: Just over 13.5 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): September 3 / March 12

Doctor of the Church, second pope (of two) to be called "great", and first pope who was a monk. Relative of two previous popes (Felix II and Agapitus). Converted his mansion to a monastery of which he was a monk until called from his severely ascetic life (which is blamed for the ruination of his health). After trying to refuse the papacy, he was reluctantly consecrated pope. He negotiated peace treaties with the Lombards, extended the patronage of the Roman See, promoted monasticism, enforced clerical celibacy, defended papal primacy, and wrote voluminous works. He is credited with codification of the Roman Canon and is associated with the sacred music treasure, Gregorian Chant.

St. Gregory II [89]

Birth Date: 669

Beginning of Reign: May 19, 715

End of Reign: February 11, 731

Date of Death: February 11, 731

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 46

Lived to Approx. Age: 62

Approx. Length of Reign: Nearly 16 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): February 11

Restored Rome's walls, secured return of important property, and repaired many churches. Resisted heavy taxes, provoking opposition. Refused to comply with the iconoclasts (those who rejected religious art as idolatrous).

St. Gregory III [90]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: March 18, 731

End of Reign: November 28, 741

Date of Death: November 28, 741

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 10.5 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): November 28

Is considered the last pope to seek exarchal confirmation of his election. Fought iconoclasm, beatified churches, and rebuilt Rome's walls.

Gregory IV [102]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: late 827

End of Reign: January 844

Date of Death: January 844

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Approx. 16 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Was tangled up in the quarrels of the temporal rulers. Built extensively, including a fortress (Gregoriopolis). Promoted the adoption of Roman liturgical uses.

Gregory V [139]

Birth Date: c. 972

Beginning of Reign: May 3, 996

End of Reign: February 18, 999

Date of Death: February 18, 999

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 24

Lived to Approx. Age: 27

Approx. Length of Reign: Nearly 3 years

Prior Name (if different): Bruno

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

First German pope and relative of the emperor. Condemned simony. Was at one point driven out of Rome.

Gregory VI [149]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: May 1, 1045

End of Reign: December 20, 1046

Date of Death: late 1047

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: "elderly"

Lived to Approx. Age: "old age"

Approx. Length of Reign: Approx. 19 months

Prior Name (if different): John Gratian

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Although he was well-respected, it is said that he obtained the election due to bribery. He eventually abdicated (or was deposed).

St. Gregory VII [158]

Birth Date: c. 1020

Beginning of Reign: April 22/June 30, 1073

End of Reign: May 25, 1085

Date of Death: May 25, 1085

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 53

Lived to Approx. Age: 65

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 12 years

Prior Name (if different): Hildebrand

Feast Day (if applicable): May 25

Promoted papal primacy, condemned simony, enforced clerical celibacy, prohibited lay investiture, and is said to have brought a condemned teacher around to accept the doctrine of Transubstantiation. He claimed secular power and sought to abolish royal control in ecclesiastical matters. The emperor was angered by his actions, and a synod of the emperor attempted to depose the pope. The pope excommunicated the emperor; the emperor planned to elect an antipope and captured Rome. Gregory died in exile.

Gregory VIII [174]

Birth Date: c. 1110

Beginning of Reign: October 21, 1187

End of Reign: December 17, 1187

Date of Death: December 17, 1187

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 77

Lived to Approx. Age: 77

Approx. Length of Reign: 57 days

Prior Name (if different): Alberto de Morra

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Reestablished relations with the emperor. Launched the Third Crusade to recover the Holy Land. Died after a short pontificate.

Gregory IX [179]

Birth Date: c. 1155/1170

Beginning of Reign: March 19, 1227

End of Reign: August 22, 1241

Date of Death: August 22, 1241

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 57-72

Lived to Approx. Age: 71-86

Approx. Length of Reign: Nearly 14.5 years

Prior Name (if different): Ugolino (Ugo)

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Condemned the emperor, who turned on the pope. Commissioned an authoritative compendium of Church law, legislated against heresy, instituted the papal inquisition, supported (and canonized) St. Francis & St. Dominic, and supported missions.

Bl. Gregory X [185]

Birth Date: c. 1210

Beginning of Reign: September 1, 1271

End of Reign: January 10, 1276

Date of Death: January 10, 1276

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 61

Lived to Approx. Age: 66

Approx. Length of Reign: Nearly 4.5 years

Prior Name (if different): Tedaldo Visconti

Feast Day (if applicable): January 9/10

After a long vacancy, Gregory was elected pope. He called a general council to discuss the union of Eastern and Western Churches and a new crusade. The council also decreed regarding papal elections.

Gregory XI [202]

Birth Date: 1329

Beginning of Reign: December 30, 1370

End of Reign: March 27, 1378

Date of Death: March 27, 1378

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 41

Lived to Approx. Age: 49

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 7 years

Prior Name (if different): Pierre Roger de Beaufort

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Tried to establish peace. He is known for staunchly fighting heresy (including condemning the heretic John Wyclif, an English priest). This French pope is also credited with finally bringing back the papacy from Avignon, France to Rome on January 17, 1377.

Gregory XII [206]

Birth Date: c. 1325

Beginning of Reign: November 30, 1406

End of Reign: July 4, 1415

Date of Death: October 18, 1417

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 81

Lived to Approx. Age: 92

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 8.5 years

Prior Name (if different): Angelo Correr

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Over eighty years old at his election, Gregory sought to end the Great Schism of the West. To that end, he ultimately convened the Council of Constance and abdicated the papacy.

Gregory XIII [227]

Birth Date: January 1, 1502

Beginning of Reign: May 14, 1572

End of Reign: April 10, 1585

Date of Death: April 10, 1585

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 70

Lived to Approx. Age: 83

Approx. Length of Reign: Nearly 13 years

Prior Name (if different): Ugo Boncompagni

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

He promoted missionary activity, implemented Tridentine reforms, opposed heresy, founded colleges, completed the reform of the Julian calendar (dropping 10 days, October 5-14, 1582), published the Corpus of Canon Law, and engaged in considerable building works. His papacy saw the rise of lawlessness in Rome and the Papal State.

Gregory XIV [230]

Birth Date: February 11, 1535

Beginning of Reign: December 5, 1590

End of Reign: October 16, 1591

Date of Death: October 16, 1591

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 55

Lived to Approx. Age: 56

Approx. Length of Reign: Just over 10 months

Prior Name (if different): Niccolo Sfondrati

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

In his short papacy, Gregory assisted in plague relief, implemented reforms, and prohibited bets regarding papal elections, length of pontificates, and the creation of cardinals.

Gregory XV [235]

Birth Date: January 9, 1554

Beginning of Reign: February 9, 1621

End of Reign: July 8, 1623

Date of Death: July 8, 1623

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 67

Lived to Approx. Age: 69

Approx. Length of Reign: Nearly 2.5 years

Prior Name (if different): Alessandro Ludovisi

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Founded the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith, assisted missionary efforts, fought against heresy, reorganized the papal balloting system, and canonized Sts. Teresa of Avila, Ignatius Loyola, Philip Neri, and Francis Xavier.

Gregory XVI [255]

Birth Date: September 18, 1765

Beginning of Reign: February 2, 1831

End of Reign: June 1, 1846

Date of Death: June 1, 1846

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 66

Lived to Approx. Age: 81

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 15 years

Prior Name (if different): Bartolomeo Alberto Cappellari

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

He promoted missionary activity, founded museums, created dioceses in the U.S., and condemned liberalism, slavery, and separation of Church & State. His papacy saw rebellion, uprisings, military occupation of the papal states, and persecution of Catholics.

St. Hilarus (Hilarius, Hilary) [46]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: November 19, 461

End of Reign: February 29, 468

Date of Death: February 29, 468

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 6 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): February 28

Fought for orthodoxy, built libraries and a monastery, and built and adorned churches.

Honorius I [70]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: October 27, 625

End of Reign: October 12, 638

Date of Death: October 12, 638

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Just under 13 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Like St. Gregory, he converted his house into a monastery. He supported the English Church, reconciled schismatics, built and restored churches, and restored aqueducts. On the other hand, he was anathematized by the Third Council of Constantinople for heresy. [It should be noted that he was condemned not for teaching heresy, but for not stopping heresy from spreading. It is argued that his decisions may have been essentially political due to the Muslim threat (e.g. his acceptance of heresy would help protect the empire from threats). Infallibility was not exercised as he was not intending to bind the entire Church or make a formal, dogmatic pronouncement.]

Honorius II [164]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: December 21, 1124

End of Reign: February 13, 1130

Date of Death: February 13, 1130

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 5 years

Prior Name (if different): Lamberto of Ostia

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

After a turbulent beginning, Honorius was elected pope. He aided the German king, approved the order of the Knights Templar, and confirmed the Norbertines.

Honorius III [178]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: July 18, 1216

End of Reign: March 18, 1227

Date of Death: March 18, 1227

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: "elderly"

Lived to Approx. Age: "old age"

Approx. Length of Reign: Over 10.5 years

Prior Name (if different): Cencio Savelli

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Maintained peace. Promulgated a collection of Church law. Gave approval to the orders of St. Francis and St. Dominic (which were recognized by Innocent III). Fought heresy. Promoted the Fifth Crusade.

Honorius IV [191]

Birth Date: 1210

Beginning of Reign: April 2, 1285

End of Reign: April 3, 1287

Date of Death: April 3, 1287

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: 75

Lived to Approx. Age: 77

Approx. Length of Reign: 2 years

Prior Name (if different): Giacomo Savelli

Feast Day (if applicable): N/A

Reestablished order in Rome and restored peace. Supported the mendicant orders. Disputed over control of Sicily.

St. Hormisdas [52]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: July 20, 514

End of Reign: August 6, 523

Date of Death: August 6, 523

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Just over 9 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): August 6

Ended Acacian schism. His son, Silverius, would later become pope (Hormisdas was married and widowed before receiving holy orders).

St. Hyginus [9]

Birth Date: N/A

Beginning of Reign: c. 136

End of Reign: c. 140

Date of Death: c. 140

Approx. Age at Beginning of Reign: N/A

Lived to Approx. Age: N/A

Approx. Length of Reign: Approx. 4 years

Prior Name (if different):

Feast Day (if applicable): January 11

Martyr; Fought heresy.

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