POPE DAMASUS II—Pope Number 151

Pope Damasus II had one of the shortest papacies on record. 23 days. About what he did there is little record. About how he got into that position there is a great deal of information. Born Poppo de Curagnoni, he was born in Pildenau, in the Duchy of Bavaria. This was...

POPE SYLVESTER II: THE FIRST FRENCH POPE

You may recognize Sylvester II under his given name, Gerbert of Auxillac, the phenomenal scholar of the early Middle Ages. Gerbert was born around 946 in Bellise, south central France. At around 17 years of age, he entered the Monastery of St. Gerald of Auxillac to...