Pope Celestine V Resigns: The Pope Who Quit After 5 Months
An 85-year-old hermit who lived in a cave, ate roots, and hadn't seen Rome in decades became Pope in July 1294. Pietro del Morrone never wanted it. Cardinals chose him precisely because he was holy and unworldly—easy to control. He wasn't. Within weeks he couldn't manage the bureaucracy, spoke no Latin at mass, and appointed 12 new cardinals in a single day because someone asked nicely. By December he'd consulted canon lawyers, found nothing forbidding resignation, and walked away. First pope ever to quit. His successor, Boniface VIII, immediately imprisoned him in a castle—couldn't risk a rival pope wandering around. Pietro died there ten months later, still in chains. The Church made him a saint anyway.
December 13, 1294
732 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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