Boniface 8.II

(Boniface VIII - Pope (1294 - 1303).)

After the death of Nicholas IV, the monk Pietro was elected to the papal throne, who took the name of Celestine V 1.

1 (Celestine V - Pope (1294).)

During the elections, the arrogant and power-hungry Cardinal Benedetto Gaetani most energetically coveted the tiara. Even after Celestine's accession to the holy throne, he did not lay down his arms and continued to gradually wage a stubborn struggle for the tiara.

The humble schema-monk 1 Pietro spent almost all his life in his cell, singing psalms or indulging in pious reflections; the luxury and splendor of the papal court, as well as conversations with the leaders of the Roman curia, were only a burden to him. Since the blessed elder had no more time either for prayers or for pious reflections in connection with his new responsibilities, he chose a small chapel where he spent all nights and where no one but him had access.

1 (A schemnik is a monk who has accepted the schema, that is, who has made a vow to follow stricter rules than ordinary monks, to lead an ascetic, reclusive lifestyle.)

Once, having spent the whole night in prayer on his knees in front of a huge crucifix that occupied the entire wall, Celestine clearly heard the words coming from the mouth of Christ: "Celestine! Throw off the burden of papal authority - this burden is too heavy for you!"

During the short period of his stay on the holy throne, Celestine managed to be convinced of the riotous lifestyle of his flock, and more than once asked himself whether he should not give way to a stronger and more energetic pastor who could correct the clergy.

A mysterious voice strengthened his doubts. At the same time, such a coincidence struck him as suspicious. Is there anything wrong with his intentions? Is this not a devilish intrigue? Agonizing doubts tormented Celestine, the memories of the voice heard in the chapel did not leave him for a minute, and the more he thought about what had happened, the more difficult it was for him to make a decision.

Several weeks passed, and one day in the chapel Celestine again heard a mysterious voice; this time he threatened Celestine with the eternal torment of hell if he continued to hesitate in renouncing. The poor recluse burst into tears. "Lord," he prayed, "can't you hear me cry out to you? Enlighten me, are you talking to me? Why did you call me to the throne that I did not seek? Wouldn't it be better for me to reject the tiara and flee from the wicked Babylon?

The next morning, the blessed elder summoned the cardinals, among whom was Benedetto Gaetani. Celestine told them that he was not able to govern, and that he was unworthy of the high dignity to which he was elevated.

“I am sure,” he finished, “that I cannot escape eternal condemnation if I remain the high priest. Therefore, I ask you to give the tiara to someone more worthy than me.”

The tears that filled the Pope's eyes prevented him from seeing the triumphant smile on Gaetani's lips.

The reader has probably already guessed that the heavenly voice that ordered Celestine to resign from his papal dignity came from the crafty cardinal. He occupied a room located one floor above, above the prayer house, where the holy father retired. Gaetani took advantage of this and drilled a hole just above the head of the crucified Christ.

The cardinals expressed regret, but in the end declared that they did not dare to oppose the wishes of the pope. True, they demanded that Celestine promulgate a law allowing the high priests to resign and the cardinals to abdicate.

The rumor of Celestine's departure spread throughout Rome. The people who considered him a saint were extremely agitated. Large crowds began to gather in front of the papal palace, pleading with Celestine to abandon his intention. Moved by such love and trust, Celestine hesitated and told the cardinals that he wanted to think carefully and turn to the holy spirit for help.

In the evening, when the Pope retired in the chapel, he again heard the terrible voice of God. "This is how you obey me," the voice hissed viciously, "truly I say to you, Celestine, you will be condemned, for you disobeyed me."

"I pray you, holy father!" - Celestine yelled and lay prostrate before the crucifix all night.

On the same morning, putting on a long shirt and the clothes of the schema-monk, he summoned the cardinals and informed them that a heavenly voice had confirmed his initial decision and that he would immediately return to his cell.

Finally, Gaetani could reap the benefits of his nightly labors. Ten days after the departure of Celestine, the cardinals elected him vicar of Christ.

The new pope adopted the name Boniface VIII. Immediately after enthronement, he demanded from the sacred college to issue a decree on the abdication of Celestine.

The huge popularity of the saint could not but disturb Gaetani. The new pope was afraid that Celestine would one day return to the papal palace, yielding to the persuasions of his supporters.

Constant anxiety poisoned the existence of Boniface, and he ordered the arrest of Celestine. Here is what is told about this in the Lives of the Saints: “The hermit Celestine was taken to his cell of the papal guards. On the way, crowds of believers crowded around the blessed elder, asking for his blessing, kissed his feet, cut off pieces from his cassock, pulled out his hair the donkey on which he rode to preserve them as precious relics. When Celestine was taken to the palace, he was graciously received by the hypocrite Boniface. But the same evening the guards took ex-dad to his castle, where the priest soon appeared, inviting him to confess and prepare for death. While Celestine was revealing the secrets of his heart, Boniface hid behind a curtain, and at the end of the confession he appeared before the elder and attacked him with angry reproaches for allegedly blasphemous statements after renunciation. After that, Boniface ordered to put him in a stone bag, and at the outer gate of the castle, where the dungeon was located, to put thirty soldiers to prevent those who tried to free Celestine. Fearing popular unrest, Boniface decided to starve the elder to death, and a few days later announced that the holy monk had died of old age, blessing the high priest. The crime, however, was solved, and all Christians hated the killer. "

We have not added a single word to the story of the Bollandists. Let us only note that pious historians would not fail to defend Boniface if they had the slightest opportunity to do so.

Overcome by unreasonable pride, the power-hungry pope waged an incessant struggle with many sovereigns of Europe. He gained particular fame in the fight against Philip the Beautiful 1, who categorically refused to submit to him, challenging the high priest's claims to secular power.

1 (Philip IV the Handsome - French king (1285 - 1314).)

Historians have assessed the political role of Boniface in different ways, but his personality does not cause any disagreement. All historians, secular and spiritual, agree that the killer of Celestine was a notorious villain.

We are forced to stand up for Boniface: he is by no means an exception among the popes. Most of the other high priests were not inferior to him in atrocities. Only some of them did not advertise their crimes so clearly.

Cardinal Benedetto Gaetani, before taking possession of the tiara, was one of the leaders of the Ghibellines; finding himself on the papal throne, he became an ardent opponent of this party. The change in views occurred due to the fact that two cardinals from the Colonna family, the most powerful and richest among the Ghibellines, vigorously opposed Gaetani's candidacy. The vindictive Boniface, having received the keys and the staff of the high priest, excommunicated the entire Colonna family from the church, cursed their descendants, imposed a ban on the estates, ordered the demolition of their palaces and, in order to bring the rebels into submission, called on all Christians for help, as if it was a real crusade. ...

The Colonna family members had to flee Rome, but they did not stop fighting.

The high priest even went to negotiations with the French king, just to raise money for the war with the Colonna. To please the king, Boniface canonized Louis IX. In addition, he gave Karl Valois 1, Philip's brother, the German crown, which he was going to take from Adolf of Nassau 2. Deceived by Boniface's submissive behavior, Philip allowed the pope's emissaries to take with them to Rome everything that they managed to lure out of the faithful.

1 (Charles of Valois - brother of Philip IV, a major French commander (1270-1324).)

2 (Adolphus of Nassau - German Emperor (1292 - 1298).)

The harvest was significant, so the game was worth the candle.

As soon as the money taken out of France ended up in the papal treasury, Boniface not only did not fulfill his promises, but also tried to incite the English king Edward 1 and the Duke of Flanders 2 to attack France.

1 (Edward I - King of England (1272 - 1307))

2 (Flanders is a region in the northwest of Belgium. In the XIII - XIV centuries. was the object of the struggle between France and England and was actually an independent county. In 1302, Flanders troops utterly defeated the army of Philip IV, who was trying to turn the county into a royal domain.)

Before deciding on extreme measures, Philip sent an ambassador to Rome, who demanded an explanation from the pope.

Boniface again managed to deceive Philip. Moreover, the French king, yielding to his persuasion, agreed to a new crusade; however, Philip had enough common sense to take some measures to prevent the pope from interfering in the affairs of his kingdom. Realizing that the king would not be on his way soon, Boniface sent a legate to the French monarch, who behaved so arrogantly and insultingly that Philip drove him out, not wanting to listen to the end.

The enraged and humiliated legate went to southern France, where he began to incite the population to revolt and kill Philip, promising, in addition to numerous absolutions, a significant amount of money to the one who would free the world from Philip.

When these intrigues were exposed, the legate was arrested, accused of insulting his majesty, rebellion, heresy and blasphemy.

Philip immediately sent an ambassador to the Pope with a demand that the guilty be brought to justice and deprived of the clergy.

Boniface's answer came as a complete surprise to the king. “Know that you are subject to us both in church affairs and in worldly affairs,” the Pope wrote. Accusing the king of encroaching on the rights of the church, he declared that the legate was worthy of praise for the courage he displayed. However, my dad added, he only carried out my orders. Simultaneously with the letter, Boniface published a bull in which he proclaimed himself the ruler of France.

Philip, of course, was furious. On April 10, 1302, 1 he summoned representatives of the nobility, clergy and the third estate at Notre Dame Cathedral to discuss the behavior of the pope. All members of the meeting, not excluding the clergy, spoke in favor of the need to put an end to the criminal machinations of the head of the church. After the solemn ceremony of burning the papal bull on the porch of the cathedral, the king turned to Boniface with a message: "Know, worthless priest, that in worldly affairs we are not subject to anyone, and your exorbitant ambition must bow down to us." The Pope responded to this message with excommunication: he announced that Philip had been deposed and the crown would be given to the one who delivered him dead or alive.

1 (On April 10, 1302, he convened ... representatives of the nobility, clergy and the third estate. - This is the first meeting of the States General in the history of France, in which three estates were represented. In the future, kings often turned to the support of the States General for particularly important or urgent events. The States General, however, did not become the legislature controlling royal power.)

Then the king gathered the prelates and barons at the Louvre. There, his representative, Guillaume Nogaret, read out a real indictment against Boniface, who was called an antipope and a heretic who stained himself with terrible crimes.

It was pointed out that the Pope did not believe in the immortality of the soul without observing the fasts, that “the vile high priest forces the ministers of the church to reveal to him the secrets of confession under the pretext that he should know the plans of his enemies. He persecutes wandering monks and nuns and takes away from them money, referring to the fact that the hypocritical loafers rob the people. "

Nobody came out in defense of Boniface. The states-general demanded the convocation of an ecumenical council. The King communicated the decision of the States General to all European monarchs, and the news was greeted with enthusiasm everywhere. In Rome itself, many lords, officials, citizens and priests, exhausted from the tyranny of the holy father, took the side of Philip the Fair. Boniface was in clear danger. He decided to leave the city, where the number of his opponents grew every day. Taking with him his nieces, favorites and children, he fled to Anagni 1. Having settled in a new residence, he attacked the French king with a new weaning bull, even more furious than the first. He cursed Philip, his family, all his offspring, and imposed an interdict on France. In the same bull, he called on the Germans, the British and the Flemings to oppose France, promising heavenly bliss to all participants in the campaign.

1 (Anagni is a small town in the Apennines.)

The convocation of an ecumenical council, where Boniface was to be condemned, was entrusted to Nogara. With the help of one of Cardinal Colonna's nephews, he assembled a detachment of eight hundred men. Under the banner of the French king, at dawn on September 6, 1303, soldiers suddenly burst into Anagny shouting: "Death to Boniface!" Capturing the palace of the papal nephew on the way, they began a siege of the fortress in which the holy father was hiding. Seeing that the resistance was useless, he entered into negotiations and asked to give him a few hours for reflection and for a meeting with the cardinals. His request was a trick: the pope hoped that the inhabitants of Anagni would respond to his call and, thanks to their help, he would emerge victorious from the struggle. But dad miscalculated. The population refused to speak in his defense. When the time given for reflection expired, Nogare and Colonna ordered the soldiers to storm the fortress.

Hoping to impress and frighten enemies, Boniface in tiara, dressed in papal clothes, holding the apostolic key and cross in his hands, sat on the throne, waiting for the victors. But here, too, he was mistaken. Nogare demanded from him that he appear at the cathedral. Seeing that the pope was keeping a contemptuous silence, Colonna asked if he was renouncing the papal dignity. The question infuriated Boniface: he cursed the king of France, his family and posterity, adding a few insulting words to the Colonna. The latter, unable to bear it, slapped dad in the face. His hand in an iron glove struck a blow, from which dad fainted. Half-dead he was carried away and locked in one of the halls of the castle.

Dad spent three days in prison. On the fourth night, the churchmen managed to rouse the inhabitants of Ananya: they attacked the castle and released Boniface. When the Pope returned to Rome and found that complete anarchy reigned there, he lost heart: he did not give orders, but spoke only of curses and excommunications; then he developed a fever, and in a fit of rage he bit his hand. He died eighty-six years of age, having served on the throne for nine years.

Since in that era good and evil were personified by God and the devil, Boniface's contemporaries did not raise any doubt that the soul of the holy father was in the hands of Satan. The clergy themselves often declared that Benedict Gaetani was condemned to eternal burning. Drawings were passed from hand to hand in which Boniface was portrayed in unambiguous positions.

Dante, a contemporary of Boniface, placed him in his "Hell" 1. And one naive chronicler quite seriously reports that the statue of the virgin on Boniface's grave, carved from snow-white marble, the next day, after it was installed, turned black and no efforts could bring it back to its original form.

1 (Dante put it in his "Hell". - Dante Alighieri (1265 - 1321) - the great Italian poet, author " Divine Comedy", including" Hell "," Paradise "and" Purgatory. "In the XIX song" Hell "(pp. 52 - 57), it is told about Pope Nicholas III, who is in the eighth circle of hell, who predicts the hellish torments of Boniface VIII and Clement V. the prophecy is contained in Paradise (Canto XXX, v. 148).)

For a complete description of Boniface, we will give several of his sayings. They are taken from authentic documents:

"God would give me prosperity in this world, I am not worried about another life."

"Human souls are no more immortal than animal souls."

"The gospel contains more lies than truth. The Immaculate Conception is absurd, the incarnation of the Son of God is ridiculous, and the dogma of transubstantiation is just stupidity."

"The amount of money that the legend of Christ gave to the churchmen is innumerable."

"Religion was created by ambitious people to deceive people."

"Clerics should say what the people say, but that does not mean that they are obliged to believe what the people believe."

"We must sell in the church whatever the simpleton wants to buy."

Boniface VIII (Boniface VIII) (1235-1303), Pope (1294-1303). He was a papal diplomat (nuncio) and a lawyer, traveled a lot around the world. Inherited to Pope Celestine V. Seriously conflicted with the French. King Philip IV the Handsome, challenging the state's right to tax the clergy. In response, Philip ordered to capture him (1303). This blow hastened the death of B. and contributed to the transfer of the Holy See from Italy to Avignon, France.

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Boniface VIII

pope in 1294-1303 The last of the 13th-century popes who tried to implement the doctrine of the rule of the church in practice. power over the secular. But polit, the situation was different than before. Instead of the feudally fragmented Zap. Europe B.VIII had to face the growing power of the centralized states - France and England. B.VIII achieved some success in polit, intrigues associated with the struggle for queens, power in Germany. An attempt to intervene in Anglo-French. the relationship was unsuccessful. Preparing for another war, King of France Philip IV and the king of England Edward I introduced in their countries a tax on the clergy without the consent of the pope, which violated the established in the XIII century. practice. B.VIII responded with the "Clericis laicos" bull, in which he forbade secular rulers to levy taxes on the clergy without the permission of the pope, under the threat of excommunication. However, the clergy of France and England preferred to submit to their kings, and not to the pope, and B. VIII did not dare to apply excommunication.

A new impetus to B.VIII's ambitions was given by the holding in 1300 of the first anniversary yearwhen more than 2 million pilgrims came to Rome. Conflict with fr. king again flared up after the queens, officials arrested and imprisoned one of the bishops, not allowing him, as was customary in such cases, to turn to the church. court. In 1302 a papal bull "Unam Sanctam", where BVIII most fully outlined his concept of the supremacy of the pope over any secular power. There the theory of "two swords" was formulated: the Pope holds two swords in his hands, one of which symbolizes spiritual, and the other - secular power. According to BVIII, kings should serve the church at the first order of the pope, who has the right to punish the secular authorities for any mistake, and the pope does not obey any of the people. In response, Philip IV called States general (where the clergy also participated), who condemned the pope, accusing him of grave crimes, including heresy, and demanded that the pope appear before the church's court. cathedral. In order for such a trial to take place, Philip IV sent his close associate Guillaume Nogaret with a detachment to Italy to seize BVIII and take him to France. Nogare arrested dad, beat him, but could not take him out - dad was recaptured by his fellow countrymen in Anagni. A month later, the humiliated elderly B.VIII passed away.

This is the last of the popes of the 13th century, who tried in practice to implement the doctrine of the supremacy of ecclesiastical authority over secular authority. Boniface VIII's failures in this activity are primarily due to the change in the political situation. Instead of a feudal fragmented Western Europe Boniface VIII had to face the increasingly powerful centralized states of France and England. Boniface VIII achieved some success in political intrigues associated with the struggle for royal power in Germany. An attempt to intervene in Anglo-French relations was unsuccessful. Preparing for the next war, King Philip IV of France and King Edward I of England introduced a tax on the clergy in their countries without the consent of the Pope, which violated the existing tax in the 13th century. practice. Boniface VIII responded with a Clericis laicos bull, in which he forbade secular rulers to levy taxes on the clergy without the permission of the pope, under threat of excommunication. However, the clergy of France and England preferred to submit to their kings, and not to the pope, and Boniface VIII did not dare to apply excommunication. Office # 5 A new impetus to the ambitions of Boniface VIII was given by the holding in 1300 of the first jubilee year, when more than 200 thousand pilgrims gathered in Rome. Conflict with french king flared up again after the royal officials arrested and imprisoned one of the bishops, not allowing him, as was the custom in such cases, to appeal to the ecclesiastical court. In 1302, the papal bull "Unam Sanctam" appeared, where Boniface VIII most fully outlined his concept of the pope's supremacy over any secular power. There the theory of "two swords" was formulated: the Pope holds two swords in his hands, one of which symbolizes spiritual, and the other - secular power. According to Boniface VIII, kings must serve the church at the first order of the pope, who has the right to punish the secular authorities for any mistake, and the pope does not obey any of the people. In response, Philip IV summoned the States General (where the clergy also participated), which condemned the pope, accusing him of grave crimes, including heresy, and demanded that the pope appear before the court of the church council. In order for such a trial to take place, Philip IV sent his confidant Guillaume Nogaret to Italy with a detachment to seize Boniface VIII and deliver him to France. Nogare arrested dad, beat him, but could not take him out - dad was recaptured by his fellow countrymen in Anagni. A month later, the insulted aged Boniface VIII passed away. The defeat of Boniface VIII in the struggle against the powerful king of France meant the collapse of the political ambitions of the papacy. The period of the Avignon captivity of the popes began, when they were puppets in the hands of the French monarchy. Dante was an implacable enemy of Boniface VIII. In this unworthy pope, he saw a hater of free Florence and the main culprit of his exile. He blasphemes him through the lips of Chacco (A., VI, 69), Nicholas III (Art. 55-57), Guido da Montefeltro (A., XXVII, 70-111), Bonaventura (R., XII, 90), Cacchagvida ( R., XVII, 49-51), the Apostle Peter (R., XXVII, 22-27) and Beatrice (R., XXX, 148). Dante places Boniface in the eighth circle of hell as a simonist. Boniface VIII is also mentioned in Boccaccio's Decameron (second story of the tenth day), as well as in Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais among other popes, kings and emperors who drag out a miserable existence in hell (second book, episode with the death and resurrection of Epistemon).

(c. 1235, Anagni, Italy - 11.10.1303, Rome; worldly name - Benedetto Caetani), Pope (24 Dec 1294 - 11 Oct 1303), jurist, one of the defenders of the papal theocracy. Came from an influential and wealthy family. He graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Bologna, then continued his studies in Paris. In 1260 he became a canon. Upon his return to Rome, he was appointed a lawyer and notary at the Roman Curia, he was entrusted with important diplomatic missions in France (1264), in England (1265). He soon became a prominent figure in the Roman Curia: in 1281, Pope Martin IV elevated him to the cardinal deacon, in 1291, Pope Nicholas IV - to the cardinal presbyter. At the same time, appointed by the papal legate, he took part in the settlement of the conflict within Paris un-that, in the negotiations between France and England, contributed to the reconciliation of France with Cor. Alfonso III of Aragon. After the abdication of Pope Celestine V, Caetani was elected to the papal throne (in Naples) with the support of Cor. Charles II of Anjou. However, part of the clergy questioned the legitimacy of these elections. In response, by order of B., he was imprisoned in Celestine V, where he soon died under unexplained circumstances. Since these actions B. displeased the influential Colonna family, the pope declared war on the representatives of this family, excommunicated them from the Church, confiscated their property and destroyed their stronghold - the city of Palestrina.

B. considered his main goal to establish the papal theocracy as opposed to the emerging national states. He tried to implement the ideas of popes Gregory VII and Innocent III. To this end, he surrounded himself with the nobility, introduced splendid etiquette in the curia, trying with all his might to return the papal throne to its former greatness. Wishing to assert the supremacy of the pope, B. recognized the election of the Germans. cor. Albrecht I of Habsburg of Austria (1298), subject to his refusal to imp. rights in favor of the papacy. To demonstrate the greatness of the papal power and replenishment of the treasury of B., the celebration of the jubilee year ("Annus sanctus") was introduced and it was established that such jubilee years would be celebrated every 100 years (bull "Antiquorum habet fide" of February 22, 1300). The "holy" year 1300 was celebrated with unprecedented splendor, with a gathering of thousands of pilgrims to Rome, before which at the celebrations B. appeared alternately in the attire of the pontiff and the emperor.

B.'s uncompromising and tough position provoked a conflict with France, where a strong royal power was formed. The reason for the conflict was the extraordinary tax introduced in 1296 by the French. cor. Philip IV the Beautiful in connection with the outbreak of war with England. This time the clergy was also subjected to taxation, some of whom turned to the Pope for protection. B. bull "Clericis laicos" from 24 Feb. 1296 declared that it was inadmissible for the secular authorities to tax the clergy, moreover, without the consent of the Pope. In response, Philip IV banned the export of money from the country, which sharply hit the income to the papal treasury. Bull "Ineffabilis amor" (from 20 Sept. 1296) B. openly declared the superiority of spiritual power over secular. However, both sides were not ready for the continuation of the conflict, and then it ended in a mutual compromise. The King of France lifted the ban on the export of money from the country, and B. in a series of bulls ("Romana Mater Ecclesia" from February 7, "Ab olim" from July 27, "Etsi de statu" from July 31, 1297) recognized the duty of the clergy to pay for holding the lands of the royal domain, for the ransom of the king or his children from captivity, and gave the king the right to tax the clergy to protect the kingdom from external threats.

The renewal of the conflict was provoked by the actions of the papal legate Bernard Sesse, Bishop. Pamier, sent to France to investigate the complaints of the clergy against the king's actions. His mission was regarded as inflammatory, besides, the personality of the legate, a native of Languedoc and an opponent of the inclusion of this region in France, aroused suspicion. In the spring of 1301 he was arrested, his property was confiscated, and Pierre Fleet was sent to B. in order to obtain the removal of immunity from the legate to start a judicial investigation. However, B., not recognizing the judicial authority of the laity over the clergy, demanded the release of Sesse. As a result, the Pope declared open war on the King of France: the bull "Ausculta fili" of 5 December. 1301, which abolished the right to collect taxes from the clergy for the war, the pope turned to the prelates, chapters and doctors of all facts with a demand to gather in Rome on All Saints Day (Nov. 1, 1302) a Council of the Church of France to protect the freedoms of the clergy, reforms in kingdom and admonition of the king.

However, in France, the majority supported the king's actions. At a specially convened meeting of representatives of the 3 estates of the kingdom - the States General - on April 10. 1302, with abstaining clergy, the knights and townspeople spoke in favor of the king. The latter again banned the export of money from the country, and the distribution of church benefits in the kingdom remained under the jurisdiction of officials. In response, B. threatened everyone who did not come to Rome with sanctions, and the King of France with excommunication. Despite the king's ban, more than half of the prelates (39 French bishops) arrived at the Council. The result was the bull "Unam Sanctam" from 18 December. 1302, where the theory of papal supremacy was formulated in an extremely complete form. Based on the doctrine of "two swords", B. built a theory of the unification in the hands of the Church as a single head of spiritual and secular power, of subordination and jurisdiction to her, the vicar of God, of all power on earth.

In response, France switched to an offensive policy: at the meeting of the States General on March 12, 1303, the legist Guillaume de Nogaret accused B. of heresy, simony, nepotism and called for the protection of the Catholic. Church from the unworthy Pope of Rome by convening an Ecumenical Council for his removal. After long negotiations under the threat of the excommunication of the King of France and the imposition of an interdict on the kingdom, a new meeting of representatives of the 3 estates on July 13, 1303, approved the position of the royal authority and joined the call for the convocation of an Ecumenical Council. In the country, over 700 prelates, chapters, barons and city communes voted for this decision. Inside is Catholic. The churches were also opposed by the spirituals, who condemned the luxury of the papal curia and B.'s interference in worldly affairs, for which they were persecuted by him.

In order to inform B. about the convened Ecumenical Council, Guillaume de Nogaret arrived in Ananya, family estate the Caetani family, where the Pope was at that time, preparing a coalition against France. B. banned the French. un-tam confer academic degrees, chapters - to choose their heads, freed the subjects of the kingdom from the oath to the king. The city passed into the hands of the opponents of B., the castle was surrounded by the troops of the Colonna's supporters, and on the night of 6-7 Sept. 1303 the castle gates were broken open. B., who met his opponents in the solemn vestments of the pontiff, was subjected to insults and threats of death (the legend attributes to S. Colonna a slap in the face, inflicted in the hearts of the pope). After his release, B. went to Rome, but, fearing poisoning, did not eat anything; he died a month later from a fever caused by a nervous breakdown.

B.'s defeat in a clash with the king of France had the consequences of the so-called. The Avignon captivity of the popes, the schism in the Catholic Church (papal schism) and the Council movement.

B. was the patron saint of science and arts. He invited the artist to Rome. Giotto, founded Rome. un-t Sapienza (see article Catholic universities). Under his leadership, work was carried out on the codification and unification of the canon law "Liber Sextus", the result of which was new collection canons, included in the "Corpus juris canonici".

Vol .: Les Régistres de Boniface VIII / Éd. G. Digart et al. P., 1884-1936. Fasc. 1-16.

Lit .: Vigor S. Histoire du différend entre le pape Boniface et Philippe le Bel / Ed. et transl. P. Dupuy. P., 1655; Dease T. R. S. Boniface VIII. L., 1933; Digart G. Philippe le Bel et le St. Siège de 1285 à 1304. Liège, 1936.2 vol .; Sibilia S. Bonifacio VIII. R., 1949; Levis-Mirepoix P. L "attentat d" Anagni. P., 1969; Luscombe D. The "Lex divinitatis" in the Bull "Unam Sanctam" of Pope Boniface VIII // Church and Government in the Middle Ages. Camb. 1976. P. 205-221; Schmidt T. Libri rationum camerae Bonifatii papae VIII. R., 1984; idem. Der Bonifaz-Prozess: Verfahren der Papstanklage in der Zeit Bonifaz "VIII und Clemens V. Köln, 1989; Menache S. Un peuple qui a sa demeure à part: Boniface VIII et le sentiment national français // Francia. 1984. Vol. 12 P. 193-208; Ubicki Th. M. "Clericis laicos" and the Canonists I // Popes, Teachers and Canon Law in the Middle Ages. L. 1989. P. 179-190.

S. K. Tsaturova

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Boniface VIII

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Introduction

Boniface VIII (lat. Bonifatius PP. VIII, in the world - Benedetto Caetani, ital. Benedetto Caetani); OK. 1235 - October 11, 1303) - Pope from December 24, 1294 to October 11, 1303.

1. Biography

Boniface VIII achieved some success in political intrigues associated with the struggle for royal power in Germany. An attempt to intervene in Anglo-French relations was unsuccessful. Preparing for the next war, King Philip IV of France and King Edward I of England introduced a tax on the clergy in their countries without the consent of the Pope, which violated the existing tax in the 13th century. practice. Boniface VIII replied with a bull “ Clericis laicos", In which he forbade the secular rulers to levy taxes from the clergy without the permission of the pope under the threat of excommunication. However, the clergy of France and England preferred to obey their kings rather than the pope, and Boniface VIII did not dare to apply excommunication.

A new impetus to the ambitions of Boniface VIII was given by the holding of the first jubilee year in 1300, when more than 200 thousand pilgrims came to Rome. The conflict with the French king flared up again after the royal officials arrested and imprisoned one of the bishops, not allowing him, as was customary in such cases, to go to the church court. In 1302 the papal bull appeared “ Unam sanctam", Where Boniface VIII most fully outlined his concept of the supremacy of the pope over any secular power. There was formulated theory of "two swords": Pope holds in his hands two swords, one of which symbolizes spiritual, and the other - secular power. According to Boniface VIII, kings should serve the church at the first order of the pope, who has the right to punish the secular authorities for any mistake, and the pope does not obey any of the people. In response, Philip IV summoned the States General (where the clergy also participated), which condemned the pope, accusing him of grave crimes, including heresy, and demanded that the pope appear before the court of the church council. In order for such a trial to take place, Philip IV sent his confidant Guillaume Nogaret to Italy with a detachment to seize Boniface VIII and deliver him to France. Nogare arrested dad, beat him, but could not take him out - dad was recaptured by his fellow countrymen in Anagni. A month later, the insulted aged Boniface VIII died.

The defeat of Boniface VIII in the fight against the powerful king of France meant the collapse of the political ambitions of the papacy. The period of the Avignon captivity of the popes began, when they were puppets in the hands of the French monarchy.

2. In literature

Dante was an implacable enemy of Boniface VIII. In this unworthy pope, he saw a hater of free Florence and the main culprit of his exile. He blasphemes him through the lips of Chacco (A., VI, 69), Nicholas III (Art. 55-57), Guido da Montefeltro (A., XXVII, 70-111), Bonaventura (R., XII, 90), Cacchagvida ( R., XVII, 49-51), the Apostle Peter (R., XXVII, 22-27) and Beatrice (R., XXX, 148). Dante places Boniface in the eighth circle of hell as a simonist.

3. Bibliography

Lozinsky S. G. History of the Papacy. M., 1986
Documents of the Christian Church. London, Oxford, New York, 1967

Notes

Leo Taxil. Sacred nativity scene - lib.ru/HRISTIAN/ATH/TAKSIL/sacredde.txt

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This abstract is based on an article from the Russian Wikipedia. Synchronization completed 07/10/11 06:44:14
Related abstracts: Boniface IV (Pope), Boniface III (Pope), Boniface IX (Pope),