Popes

The pope is not allowed to listen to confessions. However, they are allowed to go to confession, if they choose to.

The Pope was a powerful figure because of the position he held. The Roman Catholic Church was thought of as controlling you for all eternity, so you would want to respect its leader!

The Pope eats normal food, just like anyone else. However, on Sunday, he does drink wine and eat the vanilla wafers during church service.

(CAMILLO BORGHESE). Born at Rome, 17 Sept., 1550; elected 16 May, 1605; died 28 Jan., 1621.

The best way to respond to this is to explain that there is the fact of evolution and the theory of evolution. Evolution is defined as genetic change within a population. This is an easily observable fact both in nature and the laboratory. The theory of evolution is an explanation for the diversity of life on earth based on the observable facts that evolution does indeed occur. It is exactly the same situation with gravity. Gravity is a fact, an easily observed physical phenomenon. But there is also a Theory of Gravitation, an explanation for the phenomenon itself and how it works. That there is a theory for both evolution and gravity does not mean the facts of evolution and gravity are any less true.

In recent years most popes have been embalmed upon death. Some of them were not embalmed immediately but several days after their passing. Pope John Paul II's body was already beginning to decompose before he was embalmed and this was noted by some of those at the funeral who happened to be close to the body. The body of Pope Pius XII was not embalmed or, not properly embalmed, and he, too, was rapidly decomposing as he lay in state. The stench was so great that those soldiers guarding his body were relieved every 15 minutes. Pope John XXIII was so thoroughly preserved that nearly 40 years later when his body was exhumed to move it to a new tomb, it had not decayed at all and looked as fresh as on the day of his death.

A pope goes through the same canonization process as any candidate for sainthood. He gets no special consideration. Information about the man is gathered by the postulator of the cause. He organizes it, investigates any miracles, and presents the case to the Sacred Congregation for the Causes of Saints. They then make a recommendation to the current pope to either canonize or not canonize the candidate.

There have been 266 popes, too many names to list here. For a complete list of these popes as well as their real names, click on this link.

The Secular Franciscan Order (Latin: Ordo Franciscanus Saecularis, hence the abbreviation OFS used by members) is a community of Catholic men and women in the world who seek to pattern their lives after Christ in the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi. Secular Franciscans are tertiaries, or members of the Third Order of St. Francis founded by St. Francis of Assisi 800 years ago. Some recent popes have been members of the Secular Franciscan Order including Pius X, Benedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII. Membership is open to any Catholic, male or female, clergy of laity, who has not professed vows with any other religious order. In other words, Pope Francis could not be a member as he is already a professed Jesuit.

Pope Urban II was appalled at the number of married priests, believing that clerical marriage was a greater sin than extra-marital sex. In 1095, he ordered married priests who ignored celibacy to be imprisoned and their wives and children sold into slavery, and had the proceeds go to the church. He also collected an annual tax called the ‘callagium’ allowing clergy to have mistresses, provided they paid an annual fee to the papacy.

The Vatican City state is his current home and he was born in Germany and lived there for most of his life before taking on duties in the curia.

Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa was the birth name of Pope Benedict XV.

The pope is assisted by the Papal Master of ceremonies who is almost always by the pope's side during liturgies. The current holder (2013) is Monsignor Guido Marini. The Master of Ceremonies is apponted by the pope for a 5 year term.

The Master of ceremonies is an official of the Papal Court responsible for the proper and smooth conduct of the elegant and elaborate rituals involving the Pope and the sacred liturgy. He may also be an official involved in the proper conduct of protocols and ceremonials involving the Roman Pontiff, the Papal Court, and other dignitaries and potentates. Examples of official liturgical books prescribing the rules and regulations of liturgical celebrations are Ceremoniale Romanum and Ceremoniale Episcoporum.

Ipso facto is a Latin term which is translated as 'by the fact itself' and it means that a certain effect is a direct consequence of ones action.

If you are ipso facto excommunicated, it means you get automatically excommunicated by a certain deed itself, eg. if a priest gives absolution to his lover, or if someone hits the pope, he gets ipso facto excommunicated, just by doing this.

The Babylonian Captivity which began in 626 BC and ended in 539 BC, was long before the first pope, Peter, took office in about 33 AD.

The pope never contradicts the Bible. He may contradict what certain groups, particularly Protestants, THINK the Bible says. The Magisterium of the Church has the final say as to how Catholics should interpret the Bible.

Many people, especially the clergy in Italy considered him a 'country bumpkin' and unsophisticated since he came from a family of poor farmers.

I am not certain but I think the various popes of the Medieval time period converted just about all of Europe if it wasn't already converted before then.

An indulgence forgives nothing. An indulgence only remits punishment in Purgatory for sins committed and already forgiven through confession. An indulgence can only be granted under certain conditions that must be met. The couple would have to petition for an annulment and, if granted, then go to confession to ask forgiveness. Only then would they be eligible for an indulgence.

Normally the pope lives and does much of his work in the Apostolic Palace of the Vatican. However, Pope Francis has chosen to live in a small apartment in the Casa Santa Marta, a hostel in the Vatican normally used by visiting dignitaries and for housing the cardinals during a papal conclave.

"Habemos Papam"

st thomas II, pope st dustan, Lanfranc, first archbisshop of canterbury

Pope Julius II brought Michelangelo to the Vatican to paint the Sistine Chapel ceiling.