Pope Pius VIII
Encyclopedia
Pope Pius VIII born Francesco Saverio Castiglioni was Pope
in 1829 and 1830.
, Marche, the son of Count Ottavio Castiglioni and his wife Sanzia Ghislieri. He studied Canon law
and, in 1800 became bishop of Montalto
. After he refused to swear allegiance to Napoleon I of France
(1804–14, 1815) he was taken to France, but following the defeat of France, he was, in 1816, made a Cardinal-Priest
of Santa Maria in Traspontina
. He held various high offices thereafter, including that of Major Penitentiary. He soon became cardinal bishop of the suburbicarian see of Frascati
.
"As a Cardinal, Castiglione had continued to live modestly, made no enemies, and although his own private life had always been irreproachable, he had shown no signs of censoriousness where others were concerned. He suffered from a very painful and distressing complaint, having perpetually suppurating sores
on his neck and body, and was far too ill and feeble to do more than sign the documents presented to him by Cardinal Giuseppe Albani, who ruled the Papal States
as autocratically as though he had himself worn the triple crown
."
(1823–29), Castiglioni was elected Pope in the papal conclave
.
As Pope Pius VIII, he initiated some reforms in the States of the Church. On 24 May 1829 he issued an encyclical
, Traditi humilitati
. Perhaps indicating that the current debate on religious pluralism was also occurring in his own time he condemned the "foul contrivance of the sophists of this age" that would place Catholicism on par with any other religion.
Regarding Bible translations, he wrote in that encyclical:
On 25 March 1830, in the brief
Litteris altero, he condemned masonic secret societies and modernist biblical translations.
During his brief pontificate, the Catholic Emancipation
occurred in the United Kingdom, and the July Revolution
(1830) in France – after which he recognised Louis Philippe
(1830–48) as the de facto king of France after the toppling of Charles X
.
Pius VIII accepted the situation on mixed marriages between Protestants and Catholics in Germany, but opposed liberalising tendencies in Ireland and Poland
.
were found, except some weakness of the lungs, or, according to others, a tired heart; it is therefore impossible to know the cause of death.")
These few words have been interpreted by some partisans of a conspiracy theory
as evidence that the Pope had indeed been poisoned. Cardinal Camillo di Pietro
gave the funeral ovation for the late Pope, before the cardinals entered the conclave.
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
in 1829 and 1830.
Biography
He was born in CingoliCingoli
Cingoli is a town and comune of the Marches, Italy, in the province of Macerata, about 27 km by road from the town of Macerata. It is the birthplace of Pope Pius VIII.-History:...
, Marche, the son of Count Ottavio Castiglioni and his wife Sanzia Ghislieri. He studied Canon law
Canon law (Catholic Church)
The canon law of the Catholic Church, is a fully developed legal system, with all the necessary elements: courts, lawyers, judges, a fully articulated legal code and principles of legal interpretation. It lacks the necessary binding force present in most modern day legal systems. The academic...
and, in 1800 became bishop of Montalto
Montalto
-Town names:* Montalto delle Marche - Municipality in the province of Ascoli Piceno, Marche, Italy* Montalto Uffugo - Municipality in the province of Cosenza, Calabria, Italy* Montalto Dora - Municipality in the province of Turin, Piedmont, Italy...
. After he refused to swear allegiance to Napoleon I of France
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
(1804–14, 1815) he was taken to France, but following the defeat of France, he was, in 1816, made a Cardinal-Priest
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
of Santa Maria in Traspontina
Santa Maria in Traspontina
Santa Maria in Traspontina is a Carmelite church in Rome, Italy.The shrine lies on the Via della Conciliazione, the main road of the Rione Borgo....
. He held various high offices thereafter, including that of Major Penitentiary. He soon became cardinal bishop of the suburbicarian see of Frascati
Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Frascati
The Diocese of Frascati is a suburbicarian see of the Holy Roman Church and a diocese of the Catholic Church in Italy, based at Frascati, near Rome. The bishop of Frascati is a Cardinal Bishop; from the Latin name of the area, the bishop has also been called Bishop of Tusculum. The bishopric in...
.
"As a Cardinal, Castiglione had continued to live modestly, made no enemies, and although his own private life had always been irreproachable, he had shown no signs of censoriousness where others were concerned. He suffered from a very painful and distressing complaint, having perpetually suppurating sores
Sores
Sores is a French surname, and may refer to:* Jacques de Sores , French pirate* Raoul II Sores , marshal of France...
on his neck and body, and was far too ill and feeble to do more than sign the documents presented to him by Cardinal Giuseppe Albani, who ruled the Papal States
Papal States
The Papal State, State of the Church, or Pontifical States were among the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia .The Papal States comprised territories under...
as autocratically as though he had himself worn the triple crown
Papal Tiara
The Papal Tiara, also known incorrectly as the Triple Tiara, or in Latin as the Triregnum, in Italian as the Triregno and as the Trirègne in French, is the three-tiered jewelled papal crown, supposedly of Byzantine and Persian origin, that is a prominent symbol of the papacy...
."
As pope
After the death of Pope Leo XIIPope Leo XII
Pope Leo XII , born Annibale Francesco Clemente Melchiore Girolamo Nicola Sermattei della Genga, was Pope from 1823 to 1829.-Life:...
(1823–29), Castiglioni was elected Pope in the papal conclave
Papal conclave, 1829
The papal conclave held after the death of Pope Leo XII on February 10, 1829 to elect his successor began on February 24, 1829.It took a long time to make a decision because of conflict between secular governments about who should be elected...
.
As Pope Pius VIII, he initiated some reforms in the States of the Church. On 24 May 1829 he issued an encyclical
Encyclical
An encyclical was originally a circular letter sent to all the churches of a particular area in the ancient Catholic Church. At that time, the word could be used for a letter sent out by any bishop...
, Traditi humilitati
Traditi Humilitati
Traditi Humilitati is a Papal Encyclical issued by Pope Pius VIII in 1829. It laid out the program for his pontificate. Although not mentioning freemasonry, it has been cited by later anti-Masonic publications of the Catholic Church because it condemned those "who think that the portal of eternal...
. Perhaps indicating that the current debate on religious pluralism was also occurring in his own time he condemned the "foul contrivance of the sophists of this age" that would place Catholicism on par with any other religion.
Regarding Bible translations, he wrote in that encyclical:
- We must also be wary of those who publish the Bible with new interpretations contrary to the Church's laws. They skillfully distort the meaning by their own interpretation. They print the Bibles in the vernacular and, absorbing an incredible expense, offer them free even to the uneducated. Furthermore, the Bibles are rarely without perverse little inserts to ensure that the reader imbibes their lethal poison instead of the saving water of salvation.
On 25 March 1830, in the brief
Brief
Brief or briefs may refer to:* A firefox extension for RSS* A letter* A papal letter less formal than a bull, sealed with the pope's signet ring or stamped with the device borne on this ring...
Litteris altero, he condemned masonic secret societies and modernist biblical translations.
During his brief pontificate, the Catholic Emancipation
Catholic Emancipation
Catholic emancipation or Catholic relief was a process in Great Britain and Ireland in the late 18th century and early 19th century which involved reducing and removing many of the restrictions on Roman Catholics which had been introduced by the Act of Uniformity, the Test Acts and the penal laws...
occurred in the United Kingdom, and the July Revolution
July Revolution
The French Revolution of 1830, also known as the July Revolution or in French, saw the overthrow of King Charles X of France, the French Bourbon monarch, and the ascent of his cousin Louis-Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who himself, after 18 precarious years on the throne, would in turn be overthrown...
(1830) in France – after which he recognised Louis Philippe
Louis-Philippe of France
Louis Philippe I was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. His father was a duke who supported the French Revolution but was nevertheless guillotined. Louis Philippe fled France as a young man and spent 21 years in exile, including considerable time in the...
(1830–48) as the de facto king of France after the toppling of Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
.
Pius VIII accepted the situation on mixed marriages between Protestants and Catholics in Germany, but opposed liberalising tendencies in Ireland and Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
Health, death and conspiracy theory
Pius VIII was in very poor health from his election until his death. Prince Don Agostino Chigi, a contemporary of the Pope's and one of the papal nobility associated with the papal court, recorded in his diary (2 December 1830):- "Nella sezione del cadavere del Pontefice che seguì ieri sera per quanto si dice, furono trovate le viscere sanissime e solo si è rinvenuta qualche debolezza nel polmone, altri dicono qualche sfiancamento nel cuore; resterebbe perciò a sapersi di qual male sia morto."
were found, except some weakness of the lungs, or, according to others, a tired heart; it is therefore impossible to know the cause of death.")
These few words have been interpreted by some partisans of a conspiracy theory
Conspiracy theory
A conspiracy theory explains an event as being the result of an alleged plot by a covert group or organization or, more broadly, the idea that important political, social or economic events are the products of secret plots that are largely unknown to the general public.-Usage:The term "conspiracy...
as evidence that the Pope had indeed been poisoned. Cardinal Camillo di Pietro
Camillo di Pietro
Camillo di Pietro J.U.D. was an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and both Camerlengo of the Sacred College of Cardinals and later Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church.-Biography:Camillo di Pietro was born in Rome...
gave the funeral ovation for the late Pope, before the cardinals entered the conclave.