Nineteenth Century: Six Popes
251. Pius VII, 1799-1823. An aristocrat, he attracted the attention of the world during a Christmas Mass in 1797 while still only Cardinal, by declaring that there was no inevitable conflict between republicanism or any other form of democracy, and Christianity. As Pope he negotiated a Concordat with Napoleon in July 16, 1801. Against his Curia's advice he went to Paris for the coronation of Napoleon, hoping thereby to modify the excessive demands on the Church of the new French regime. His refusal to support the continual blockade of England led to his being arrested by Napoleon's henchman, and he was imprisoned in Savona and finally at Fontainebleau where he was forced to sign a draft convention that he later repudiated. He restored the Society of Jesus having years before regularized its existence in Russia and Naples. He condemned Protestant Bible Societies (June 1816) indifferentism and Freemasonry. A big-hearted Pontiff, he offered refuge to the relatives of Napoleon his fallen persecutor. He did all in his power to adapt the Papacy to the modern world and when he died had won the respect of all for his patient acceptance of the suffering caused by Napoleon's imperial ambitions. Italian.
252. Leo XII, 1823-1829. A morally upright person, Leo XII was not an inspired leader. An ultra-conservative by the standards of the times, he restored the almost feudal system that had obtained in Rome prior to 1800. Laicization of administrative persons was halted, and this mild and good man was very disliked for making the Papal States among the most backward in Europe by his decisions based more on fear of the secular state than on a real understanding of the problems of a world that was looking, however awkwardly, to the Papacy for guidance.Italian.
253. Pius VIII, 1829-1830. His Pontificate is remembered more for doctrinal and moral gains, rather than political ones. He traced the breakdown of the religious and social order to indifferentism the fruit of the numerous Bible Societies proliferating among the evangelistic Protestant churches, attacks on the sacredness of marriage and the growth of secret societies. He made numerous sensible changes within the social and political structures of the Papal States. He witnessed the passing of the Catholic Relief Act in England April 13, 1829. And he negotiated with the Sultan of Turkey to safeguard the rights of Armenian Catholics - setting up an Archbishopric of the Armenian Rite at Constantinople in July 1830.Italian.
254. Gregory XVI, 1831-1846. A Camaldolese monk, of aristocratic parentage like his three predecessors, he was not favourable to modern trends, and while he proved perceptive in some important matters, and worked hard to reorganize the hierarchy and existing religious orders, denounced slavery, encouraged native clergy, took a genuine interest in Christian art and scholarship, he nevertheless left many pressing difficulties, especially in the political arena, for his successor to resolve. Italian.
255. Pius IX, 1846-1878. This, the longest Pontificate in almost 2,000 years, was also one of the most complex. Pius IX was originally a liberal but when he refused to take part in a war against Austria, and his Prime Minister Count Rossi was murdered, and he had to flee Rome to Gaeta, and he was only restored to the Throne with the aid of French troops, he adopted a more conservative posture towards Italian nationalism and political 'modernism'. He is mostly remembered for defining the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 1854 (birthday of the Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart); for publishing his Syllabus of Errors which dealt a fatal blow to liberal Catholic tendencies and reasserted the autonomy of the Church vis-à-vis the modern secular world; and for convening the First Vatican Council (1869-1870). As Pope, Pio Nono was much loved. He was a superb pastor, witty, patient and aware of the need for spiritual regeneration if the Church was to succeed in dealing with the secular world. On September 20, after French troops withdrew on the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war, Rome was occupied by republican Italian troops, and the Papal States ceased to exist as a separate political entity. The Pope withdrew into the Vatican as a 'prisoner of the Vatican' and never left it. Italian.
256. Leo XIII, 1878-1903. Leo wanted to restore the prestige of the Papacy and the Church after the events of 1870. He also sought to bring the Church to terms with the modern world without compromising respect for traditional Catholic religious and social values. He directed Catholic attention to the need for a re-examination of the teachings of St Thomas Aquinas, and founded an academy in Rome for its study. He encouraged the study of astronomy and the natural sciences, opened the Vatican archives to all qualified scholars. He laid down guidelines for biblical research and wrote a number of famous encyclicals on social and political themes, in particular Rerum Novarum (May 15, 1891) in which he upheld the right to private property, and also a right to a just wage and trade unions. His concern for social justice, especially for the workers, earned him the title of 'the workers' Pope'. In January 1899 he warned against 'Americanism' that sought to modify Catholic teaching to fit in with modern (especially American) ideas and practices. Leo was deeply concerned about reunion with the Church, and invited both Orthodox and Protestants to return to union with Rome. His enquiry into the validity of Anglican Orders having proven negatives, he declared them to be invalid in Apostolicae curae (September 13, 1896). He broke through much of the political and spiritual isolation that had marked the pontificate of Pius IX, and successfully steered the Church and the Papacy into the twentieth century. Italian.
251. Pius VII, 1799-1823. An aristocrat, he attracted the attention of the world during a Christmas Mass in 1797 while still only Cardinal, by declaring that there was no inevitable conflict between republicanism or any other form of democracy, and Christianity. As Pope he negotiated a Concordat with Napoleon in July 16, 1801. Against his Curia's advice he went to Paris for the coronation of Napoleon, hoping thereby to modify the excessive demands on the Church of the new French regime. His refusal to support the continual blockade of England led to his being arrested by Napoleon's henchman, and he was imprisoned in Savona and finally at Fontainebleau where he was forced to sign a draft convention that he later repudiated. He restored the Society of Jesus having years before regularized its existence in Russia and Naples. He condemned Protestant Bible Societies (June 1816) indifferentism and Freemasonry. A big-hearted Pontiff, he offered refuge to the relatives of Napoleon his fallen persecutor. He did all in his power to adapt the Papacy to the modern world and when he died had won the respect of all for his patient acceptance of the suffering caused by Napoleon's imperial ambitions. Italian.
252. Leo XII, 1823-1829. A morally upright person, Leo XII was not an inspired leader. An ultra-conservative by the standards of the times, he restored the almost feudal system that had obtained in Rome prior to 1800. Laicization of administrative persons was halted, and this mild and good man was very disliked for making the Papal States among the most backward in Europe by his decisions based more on fear of the secular state than on a real understanding of the problems of a world that was looking, however awkwardly, to the Papacy for guidance.Italian.
253. Pius VIII, 1829-1830. His Pontificate is remembered more for doctrinal and moral gains, rather than political ones. He traced the breakdown of the religious and social order to indifferentism the fruit of the numerous Bible Societies proliferating among the evangelistic Protestant churches, attacks on the sacredness of marriage and the growth of secret societies. He made numerous sensible changes within the social and political structures of the Papal States. He witnessed the passing of the Catholic Relief Act in England April 13, 1829. And he negotiated with the Sultan of Turkey to safeguard the rights of Armenian Catholics - setting up an Archbishopric of the Armenian Rite at Constantinople in July 1830.Italian.
254. Gregory XVI, 1831-1846. A Camaldolese monk, of aristocratic parentage like his three predecessors, he was not favourable to modern trends, and while he proved perceptive in some important matters, and worked hard to reorganize the hierarchy and existing religious orders, denounced slavery, encouraged native clergy, took a genuine interest in Christian art and scholarship, he nevertheless left many pressing difficulties, especially in the political arena, for his successor to resolve. Italian.
255. Pius IX, 1846-1878. This, the longest Pontificate in almost 2,000 years, was also one of the most complex. Pius IX was originally a liberal but when he refused to take part in a war against Austria, and his Prime Minister Count Rossi was murdered, and he had to flee Rome to Gaeta, and he was only restored to the Throne with the aid of French troops, he adopted a more conservative posture towards Italian nationalism and political 'modernism'. He is mostly remembered for defining the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary on December 8, 1854 (birthday of the Society of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart); for publishing his Syllabus of Errors which dealt a fatal blow to liberal Catholic tendencies and reasserted the autonomy of the Church vis-à-vis the modern secular world; and for convening the First Vatican Council (1869-1870). As Pope, Pio Nono was much loved. He was a superb pastor, witty, patient and aware of the need for spiritual regeneration if the Church was to succeed in dealing with the secular world. On September 20, after French troops withdrew on the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war, Rome was occupied by republican Italian troops, and the Papal States ceased to exist as a separate political entity. The Pope withdrew into the Vatican as a 'prisoner of the Vatican' and never left it. Italian.
256. Leo XIII, 1878-1903. Leo wanted to restore the prestige of the Papacy and the Church after the events of 1870. He also sought to bring the Church to terms with the modern world without compromising respect for traditional Catholic religious and social values. He directed Catholic attention to the need for a re-examination of the teachings of St Thomas Aquinas, and founded an academy in Rome for its study. He encouraged the study of astronomy and the natural sciences, opened the Vatican archives to all qualified scholars. He laid down guidelines for biblical research and wrote a number of famous encyclicals on social and political themes, in particular Rerum Novarum (May 15, 1891) in which he upheld the right to private property, and also a right to a just wage and trade unions. His concern for social justice, especially for the workers, earned him the title of 'the workers' Pope'. In January 1899 he warned against 'Americanism' that sought to modify Catholic teaching to fit in with modern (especially American) ideas and practices. Leo was deeply concerned about reunion with the Church, and invited both Orthodox and Protestants to return to union with Rome. His enquiry into the validity of Anglican Orders having proven negatives, he declared them to be invalid in Apostolicae curae (September 13, 1896). He broke through much of the political and spiritual isolation that had marked the pontificate of Pius IX, and successfully steered the Church and the Papacy into the twentieth century. Italian.
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