Pope Gregory VII

Gregory VII
Papacy beganApril 22, 1073
Papacy endedMay 25, 1085
PredecessorPope Alexander II
SuccessorPope Victor III
Personal details
Born
Ildebrando di Soana

1020
Sovana, Italy
Died(1085-05-25)May 25, 1085
Salerno
Other popes named Gregory

Pope Gregory VII (Latin: Gregorius Septimus; 1020–May 25, 1085), born Hildebrand (Italian: Ildebrando di Soana), was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 158th Pope from April 22, 1073 until he died in 1085.

Early life

Hildebrand was born in Sovana in Tuscany. As a youth, he became a Benedictine monk.

In Rome, Hildebrand became the chaplain of Pope Gregory VI. When Gregory VI abdicated and went into in exile in Germany, Hildebrand went with him.

Cardinal

Pope Leo IX raised Hildebrand to the rank of Cardinal in 1049.

Pope

Cardinal Hildebrand was elected pope on April 22, 1073; and he chose to be called Gregory.

Pope Gregory was involved in Italian and European political disputes.

After his death

Pope Gregory died an exile in Salerno. His last words were: "I have loved justice and hated iniquity; therefore, I [now] die in exile." ("Dilexi iustitiam et odivi iniquitatem propterea morior in exilio")..

Gregory was recognized as a saint in 1728..

References

Emblem of the popes
  1. ↑ "List of Popes," Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-12-1.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Pope St. Gregory VII," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-12-1.
  3. ↑ Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. (1838). "Gregory VII," Penny cyclopaedia, Vol. 11, pp. 444-446.
  4. ↑ Douglas, J. James Dixon. (1992). "Gregory VII," Who's Who in Christianity, p. 288.

Other websites

Media related to Gregorius VII at Wikimedia Commons


Preceded by
Alexander II		 Pope
1073–1085		 Succeeded by
Victor III