Popes

The Donation of Constantine was a document forged, possibly with the knowledge of Pope Stephen II, just prior to 754 CE or perhaps a few years later, in either case to establish grounds for papal assumption of sovereignty over territories in Italy. Lorenzo Valla proved it to be a forgery in the fifteenth century.

Christophorous, a papal official and the presumed forger, made some blunders that aroused the suspicion of scholars centuries afterwards, including that Constantine was made to refer to himself as conqueror of the Huns fifty years before they appeared in Europe.

Technically no. He is only considered infallible when he speaks "ex cathedra," which announces his intention to invoke his infallibility, that is, his receipt of a divine revelation, to define, clarify, or announce new doctrine.

9. Therefore, faithfully adhering to the tradition received from the beginning of the christian faith, to the glory of God our savior, for the exaltation of the Catholic religion and for the salvation of the christian people, with the approval of the Sacred Council, we teach and define as a divinely revealed dogmathat when the Roman Pontiff speaks EX CATHEDRA, that is, when, in the exercise of his office as shepherd and teacher of all Christians, in virtue of his supreme apostolic authority, he defines a doctrine concerning faith or morals to be held by the whole Church, he possesses, by the divine assistance promised to him in blessed Peter, that infallibility which the divine Redeemer willed his Church to enjoy in defining doctrine concerning faith or morals. Therefore, such definitions of the Roman Pontiff are of themselves, and not by the consent of the Church, irreformable. [My emphasis in bold]

On this, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson (Confronting Power and Sex in the Catholic Church) asks how a council can infallibly declare the infallibility of the pope unless we assume in advance that the council was itself infallible. In the absence of infallibility on the part of the First Vatican Council, the pronouncement in Pastor Aeternalis is no more than an opinion.

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In chapter 4 of the same document, the council appears to have limited that infallibility, by limiting the pope to jealously guarding and explaining what was handed down through the apostles, and not the ability to disclose a new doctrine by revelation:

6. For the Holy Spirit was promised to the successors of Peter not so that they might, by his revelation, make known some new doctrine, but that, by his assistance, they might religiously guard and faithfully expound the revelation or deposit of faith transmitted by the apostles.

The council may not have intended to have one clause limit the other in this way. The pope's pronouncement on the Assumption of the Virgin Mary was certainly not handed down through the apostles, so even if the pope is indeed infallible on certain matters Robinson believes this clause means that the pope was assuming an infallibility he did not have in this case.

In summary:

1. the council taught and declared that the pope is infallible when speaking ex cathedra on faith and morals, but apparently also limited his authority to matters of faith transmitted by the apostles;
2. there is reasonable doubt whether Catholics really ought to hold the pope to be infallible; and
3. there is further doubt as to whether the pope ought to be regarded as infallible when making pronouncements such as on the Assumption of Mary.

I'm not quite sure, but it could have been Gary Babb. I'm not quite sure, but it could have been Gary Babb.

answer its Da Vinci some people say he was a show off for it, but comon i mean if you could draw a perfect circle you would show off too

A:

Pope Gregory VII wanted total mastery, both spiritual and secular, over Europe. His objective was not so much about Church power but power for the papacy, and therefore himself. He has been described by some as a power-hungry cleric who would let nothing stand in his way. Gregory claimed supremacy over the secular authorities, with supreme legislative and judicial power, and the right to depose all princes and to have all Christians as his subjects. He also claimed what was then another innovation - the sole right to appoint bishops, with a council held in the Lateran in 1075 decreeing that the pope alone could appoint or depose churchmen or move them from see to see.

In 1074, Gregory wrote to Emperor Henry IV reproaching him for his conduct and telling him that like everybody else, he was bound to obey papal decrees. If Henry did not, he would have to suffer the consequences. Henry, furious at such insolence, summoned at Worms a synod of German bishops, who were themselves smarting under Gregory's dictates. The synod denounced Gregory as a usurper of the papacy and accused him of perjury, immorality of various kinds, and abuses of papal authority in the dioceses of Germany. It pronounced Gregory deposed, a sentence confirmed by bishops of Lombardy.

A few weeks later, Gregory held a synod in Rome, that excommunicated Henry and all the bishops who had sided with him, released Henry's vassals from their oath of fealty, and declared him deposed. Henry, placed on the defensive and with his throne endangered, had to agree to allow Gregory to come to Augsburg in Germany to settle the affair. Gregory accepted the invitation, set out but had difficulty getting through Lombardy because of the strong sentiment against him. Finding his passage to Germany blocked by the Lombards, Gregory accepted Henry's plea for forgiveness at Canossa, and Henry was able to return and present to his subjects his absolution as the definitive settlement of the affair.

Now feeling secure in Germany, Henry marched into Italy with his troops in 1081 and laid siege to Rome. In desperation Gregory appealed to the Normans. Henry's forces withdrew, without giving battle. The Normans had freed the city from the emperor but then looted and burnt at least a third of it. The result was one the worst sacks in the history of Rome, for which the Romans held Gregory responsible. He managed to get out of the city unscathed, though cursed, and made his way to Salerno where the Normans ensured his safety.

Gregory died in exile, defeated and powerless. He had achieved none of his main objectives, but brought about his own ruin. John W. O'Malley S.J. (A History of the Popes) says that no pope ever died hated by more people than Gregory VII.

Pope John Paul II was pope through the entire 1990s decade.

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During the 90's there were two popes:

1. St. Clement I (AD 88-97)
2. St. Evaristus (AD 97-105)