What did Pope Gregory VII accomplish

(Head of the Catholic Church from 1073 to 1085)

Born: 1015

Born In: Sovana, Italy

Pope Gregory VII was the pope from 1073 to 1085. Counted amongst the greatest of medieval popes, he was beatified by Pope Gregory XIII in 1584 and canonized in 1728 by Pope Benedict XIII. He is best remembered for the part he played in the Investiture Controversy and the reforms he proposed which later became known as the Gregorian Reforms. Following his dispute with Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor, he was successful in deposing Henry, becoming the first pope to depose a crowned ruler. This revolutionary act affirmed the primacy of papal authority and led to the establishment of the new canon law governing the election of the pope by the College of Cardinals. Born as Hildebrand Bonizi into a family of humble origins, he became interested in religion at a young age and received his education from his uncle who was abbot of a monastery on the Aventine Hill. He went on to become the deacon and papal administrator during the papacy of Pope Leo IX and greatly strengthened his position within the church over the following years. By the time Pope Alexander II became the head of the church, Hildebrand had consolidated his position as a very powerful religious figure. Pope Alexander II died in 1073 and Hildebrand succeeded him as Pope Gregory VII.

Known as Saint Gregory the Great, Pope Gregory called himself the “servant of the servants of God.” This humble pope provided steadfast guidance for the Church and city of Rome as they struggled after the city’s fall. His feast day is celebrated on September 3.

Pathway to the Papacy

In the year 540, Gregory was born into a family that had already known its share of greatness: two of his ancestors had been pope, and his father was one of the most affluent men in Rome. At age 30, Gregory became prefect of Rome, distinguishing himself with his exceptional management skills and unwavering integrity.

After Gregory’s father died in 575, he used his family’s wealth for the benefit of others, turning their estate into a monastery. Beginning a chapter that he would later refer to as the happiest of his life, he abandoned the world of politics to serve as a monk.

Fifteen years later, Gregory became pope, a position that demanded political and spiritual leadership in the power vacuum of the era. He provided guidance through internal problems among the people of Rome, including floods, starvation, and the plague, as well as external, combating invading armies of Germanic Lombards and territorial advancements from the Byzantine emperor.

Gregory’s Compassion and Dedication to Missions

Although he was politically assertive, Gregory also displayed compassion for the underprivileged. He provided food and clothing to the impoverished and defended the religious freedom of the Jewish people under his rule. After seeing Anglo-Saxon slaves for sale in the market of Rome, Gregory also became an ardent advocate for sending missionaries to England, serving as a missionary there himself for a time.

Pope Gregory’s Writings

Pope Gregory was a prolific writer whose works were influential in the medieval period. During his lifetime, he penned over 800 letters and authored accounts of the lives of saints and other religious works, including a six-volume commentary on the book of Job. He was also involved in church music, writing many songs and hymns, and is most notably associated with the Gregorian chant.

As Gregory advanced in years, he suffered from painful gout and gastritis, but continued to dictate letters and take care of church business. Because of the leadership and direction Gregory provided for not only for the Church, but also the people of Rome as a whole, he was canonized immediately after his death in 604. For his steadfast guidance, he is one of the few saints that have been granted the title of the “Great.” He is portrayed in the Basilica in a lunette window in the Crypt Church, in the St. Catherine of Alexandria Chapel, and in the Baldachin of the Great Upper Church.

Early Life

Originally named ildebrando di Soana, the future pope was born in a small town in central Italy that is now part of Tuscany. His father was a blacksmith and made enough money that he could send him to Rome for school. His uncle worked in a nearby monastery and was able to keep an eye on him. He would accompany some of his teachers to Germany before returning to Rome and declaring that he wanted to become a monk. The young man worked for other leaders of the Catholic Church before becoming pope.

Papal Election

According to a popular story from the time, the bishops met in Rome to choose the next pope and hear someone shout out the man’s name. He would flee from the words and later tracked down to a library where he agreed to accept the position. Though some historians think that this happened on the spur of the moment, others think that a group of men picked him and shouted out his name at the same time to make him the popular choice. Once he ascended the papacy, he chose the name, Pope Gregory VII.

Emperor Conflicts

As pope, Gregory VII faced issues involving Henry IV who became the emperor of Germany after his father’s death. Henry IV was in his early 20s and inexperienced, which allowed the pope to gain some control over him. This would change as the emperor aged and received advice from his advisors. The emperor sent representatives to Rome to depose the pope, who in turn threatened to excommunicate the man. Pope Gregory VII would excommunicate the leader three times in his later years with support from the Normans. Henry IV eventually gained the upper hand and had the pope exiled before installing a new pope, Clement III who we know view as an antipope.

Death

Despite having some support, Pope Gregory VII was forced to leave Rome by those who claimed he turned his back on the city and Church when he sought help from the Normans. He spent some time in Monte Cassino and then traveled to Salerno where he lived in a castle that looked out over the ocean. His later travels took their toll on his health, which was already poor due to his feud with the emperor. Pope Gregory VII released the excommunication orders that he wrote in Rome and passed away three days later of natural causes. Pope Benedict XIII canonized the pope in 1728, making him Pope Saint Gregory VII after the beatification done by Pope Gregory XIII.

Quick Facts About Pope Gregory VII

• He was born in central Italy and given the name Ildebrando di Soana by his parents.
• The pope was born circa 1015 AD.
• He died on May 25, 1085.
• The pope died of natural causes while in exile.
• His papacy began on April 22, 1073.
• The papacy of Pope Gregory VII ended on May 25, 1085.
• His successor was Pope Victor III.

Interesting Facts About Pope Gregory VII

• Gregory VII became pope through acclamation and was only the fourth pope chosen by this method. The Church chose three later popes via this method but later changed the election process to include secret ballots.
• The papacy of Pope Gregory VII lasted for 12 years and 33 days. Clement II became the antipope in 1080 and held this position until 1100 through three other popes.
• In the hopes of ending their feud, Pope Gregory VII would meet with Emperor Henry IV outside of Rome. The two would work through their problems but later fight again, which led to the pope’s exile from Rome.
• The feast day for Pope Saint Gregory VII in on May 25 and celebrated in the Catholic Church on the anniversary of his death.
• Many records refer to him as Hildebrand before he became pope. This is an English version of his Italian birth name.