Pope from August 7, 1316 - December 4, 1334Lived: c. 1249 - December 4, 1334Birth name: Jacques Duèze
Who was this guy before he was pope?The son of a shoemaker born in Cahors, France, the young Jacque Duèze initially studied medicine and law before moving on to teach canon and civil law in his hometown. Charles II of Naples recommended him as Bishop of Frejus in 1300, nine years after which he was appointed Charles’ chancellor and moved to Avignon. Pope Clement V made him Cardinal Bishop of Porto-Santa Rufina in 1312.
Give me the scoop on John XXII.Two years passed after Clement V’s death before the next pope was selected. After John XXII took office, he decided to stay in Avignon like his predecessor, keeping the papal residence outside of Rome once again. One of the most lasting accomplishments of John’s papacy was his composition and promotion of the “
Anima Christi” prayer, sometimes misattributed to St. Ignatius of Loyola. John was both a prolific writer -- having penned multiple bulls and encyclicals during his reign -- and an able administrator who worked efficiently to reorganize different parts of the Church. History remembers him as having an austere character, being highly cultured, and full of energy and zeal. He died December 4, 1334 at the age of 85.
What was he known for?Pope John XXII had a headache for almost all 18 years in office, and his name was Louis of Bavaria. Louis had laid claim to the throne of Germany during the
sede vacante between Clement V and John, opposed by another man who he eventually defeated. Meanwhile, an extreme splinter group of the Franciscans, known mainly as the “Spirituals,” had been flirting with heresy through their rather intense interpretation on penitential living and the poverty of Christ.
John simultaneously was telling the Spirituals to take one large chill pill and wondering why secular leaders were always so dang greedy. Long story short, Louis made absurd claims against the pope for many years, even appointing an antipope from the Spirituals in 1328 (Nicholas V), but ultimately annoyed people so much that everyone sided with John -- even the people who were initially on Louis’ side. By the early 1330s, the conflict was largely resolved.
Fun Fact: In the last few years of his papacy, Pope John XXII got in a bit of dogmatic hot water for his views on the Beatific Vision. Before his election, John had written that the souls in heaven wouldn’t see God completely until after the Last Judgment (Hint: We actually get to see God right away). He preached the belief off and on as pope, to which many theologians and patrons of St. Thomas Aquinas responded, “That’s, like, SO last century.” He was even accused of heresy at different points, but recanted the belief on his deathbed, before the teaching could ever be attempted to be declared infallibly. Holy Spirit FTW.
What else was going on in the world at the time?In 1321, the University of Florence was established in Italy, initially being called the Studium Generale.
Coming tomorrow...Pope Benedict XIISOURCES (and further reading)