Pope Sergius IV
- Sergius IV redirects here. It can also refer to Sergius IV of Naples, Duke of Naples in 1002–36.
Pope Sergius IV | |
---|---|
| |
Papacy began | 31 July 1009 |
Papacy ended | 12 May 1012 |
Predecessor | John XVIII |
Successor | Benedict VIII |
Orders | |
Consecration | 1004 |
Created cardinal |
1004 by John XVIII |
Personal details | |
Birth name | Pietro Martino Buccaporci |
Born | Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire |
Died |
Rome, Papal States, Holy Roman Empire | May 12, 1012
Previous post |
|
Other popes named Sergius |
Pope Sergius IV (970 – 12 May 1012) was Pope and the ruler of the Papal States from 31 July 1009 to his death in 1012.
He was born in Rome as Pietro Martino Buccaporci, which essentially translates as "Peter Martin Pig's Snout." The date of his birth is unknown but is believed to be around 970.[1]
Early life
Buccaporci was born in Rome, the son of Peter the Shoemaker. In 1004, he became the Bishop of Albano.[2] He was elected pope after the abdication of Pope John XVIII in 1009, and adopted the name Sergius IV.[3]
Pontificate
The power held by Sergius IV was small and often overshadowed by the Patricius, John Crescentius III, the ruler of the city of Rome at the time. He checked the power of Crescentius, who by strengthening the party in favour of the Germans. Sergius IV acted to relieve famine in the city of Rome, and he exempted several monasteries from episcopal rule.[2]
A papal bull calling for Muslims to be driven from the Holy Land after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was destroyed in 1009 by the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah has been attributed to him, although its authenticity has long been a matter of debate. Carl Erdmann considered it genuine, but it was rejected at length by Aleksander Gieysztor, who suggested that it was actually invented around the time of the First Crusade in order to help justify that expedition to Jerusalem. More recently, Hans Martin Schaller has forcefully argued for the document's authenticity.
Death and legacy
Sergius IV died on 12 May 1012 and was buried in the Basilica of St. John Lateran.[2] Although not canonized, Sergius IV is sometimes venerated as a saint by the Benedictines of which he was a member.[4] There was some suspicion that he was murdered, as he died within a week of Crescentius, considered by many to have been his patron.[5] Sergius was followed in the papacy by Pope Benedict VIII.
See also
References
- ↑ Catholic Encyclopedia entry
- 1 2 3 Mann, Horace. "Pope Sergius IV." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 8 November 2017
- ↑ "Sergius IV", The Holy See
- ↑ Richard P. McBrien, Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to Benedict XVI, (HarperCollins Publishers, 2000), 168.
- ↑ Catholic Online
Catholic Church titles | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded by John XVIII |
Pope 1009–12 |
Succeeded by Benedict VIII |