POPES
by Deb McCoy | Jul 6, 2023 | Popes
Pope Benedict XI was born Nicolo Boccasinni in Trevisio, the Republic of Venice, around 1240. His father, a notary, died in 1246, leaving a wife and two children. Their lives became easier when a Dominican friar left them money. Half would go to Nicolo, if he became a...
by Deb McCoy | Jun 24, 2023 | Popes
Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII was born Benedetto Caetani around 1230. Born in Anagni, a comfortable summer home for many past popes, he was the sone of Roffredo Caetani, of a poor but baronial family, and Emilia Patrasso di Guarcino, the niece of Pope...
by Deb McCoy | Jun 23, 2023 | Popes, Saints
Coat of arms of Pope St. Celestine IV Pope Saint Celestine V was born Pietro Angelerio around 1215. He was the 12th of 15 children born to Angelo Angelario and Maria Leone in Campobasso. Pietro grew up in the mountainous region on the east coast of the peninsula of...
by Deb McCoy | May 17, 2023 | Popes
Monstrance Pope Nicholas IV is one of the first popes whose exact date of birth we know. He was born Girolamo (Jerome) Masci 30 September 1227. The child was of humble birth, born in Lisciamo, near Ascoli Piceno, not too far from the beautiful Adriatic Sea. He joined...
by Deb McCoy | May 2, 2023 | Popes
Medieval church facade Giacomo Savelli, later Pope Honorius IV, was born into an influential, wealthy Roman family sometime around 1210. His father was Luca Savelli, a Roman senator, who died in 1255. As a young man, Giacomo studied at the University of Paris. Soon...
by Deb McCoy | May 2, 2023 | Popes
Simon de Brion, the future Pope Martin IV, was born between 1210 and 1220, in the Ile de France, an area around Paris. He lived until 28 March 1285. Simon studied at the University of Paris then went on to study law in Padua and Bologna. In 1238, Simon joined...
