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Imperial Popes
Mary Ann Collins
(A Former Catholic Nun)
October 2002
In 314 A.D., Pope Silvester was crowned by Emperor Constantine. The Roman Emperor had converted to Christianity and he wanted to promote it. The Pope wanted to have the favor of the Roman Emperor instead of being persecuted.
Constantine gave Pope Silvester a beautiful palace with the finest furniture and art. Silvester wore silk brocade robes and he had servants to wait on him. Near his palace was a cathedral which had seven altars made of gold, a canopy of solid silver above the main altar, and 50 chandeliers. Silvester was given the use of the imperial mail system and transportation system. [Note 1]
Churchmen wore purple robes, reflecting the purple of Constantine's court. That was an external change. The most important change was an internal one. Under Pope Silvester, the internal structure of the Church took on the form and practice and pomp of the Roman Empire. Popes dressed and acted like Roman emperors and they had the same imperial attitude. They lived in luxury and they wanted to rule over both church and state. [Note 2]
Imperial papacy reached its peak during the Middle Ages. Popes were rich and powerful, and they ruled over kings and emperors.
Pope Gregory VII reigned from 1073 to 1085. He excommunicated the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV. In order to receive forgiveness from the Pope and to have the excommunication removed, Emperor Henry had to spend three days repenting in front of the castle where the Pope was staying. It was bitter cold (January 1077). Henry spent most of his time kneeling in the ice and snow, weeping and pleading for forgiveness. When Gregory finally allowed Henry to come into the castle, the Pope publicly humiliated the Emperor. [Note 3]
Pope Gregory VII declared that the Pope has the right to depose kings and emperors, to make laws, and to require secular rulers to kiss his feet. He said that nobody has the right to judge the Pope. Gregory also declared that because of the merits of Saint Peter, every duly elected Pope is a saint. [Note 4]
Pope Innocent III reigned from 1198 to 1216. He wore a gold crown covered with jewels. He sat upon a purple throne. His clothes sparkled with gold and jewels. His horse was covered with scarlet. Kings and churchmen kissed his foot. The Inquisition persecuted people who disagreed with him. Innocent became the most powerful man in the world. [Note 5]
Pope Boniface VIII reigned from 1294 to 1303. He said that he was Caesar, the Roman Emperor. He wore a crown which was covered with more than 200 costly jewels, including rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and large pearls. [Note 6]
Boniface sought to further increase the Pope's power and authority. In his encyclical "Unam Sanctam" he said that no person can be saved unless he or she is subject to the Pope. (You can read this online.) [Note 7]
Purple dye used to be extremely expensive. The color was a symbol of wealth and power. Purple was worn by Roman emperors and popes. During the middle ages, wealthy popes used gems and purple stones in papal architecture. The purple came from porphyry (a stone which has crystals embedded in a purple groundmass). [Note 8]
Pope Paul II reigned from 1464 to 1471. In 1464 he introduced the use of scarlet as another symbol of wealth and power. He called it "Cardinal's Purple" because it was worn by his cardinals. Scarlet became a luxury dye during the Middle Ages. Catholic cardinals still wear scarlet. [Note 9]
Pope Paul VI reigned from 1963 to 1978. He was the last Pope to wear the papal tiara. This is a triple crown, made of gold and covered with jewels. You can see pictures of the tiara online. [Note 10]
The Pope is an absolute monarch in the Vatican. He sits on an ornate throne. You can see pictures of the throne online. [Note 11]
Cardinals are called "princes of the church". They are citizens of the Vatican in addition to being citizens of their homelands. [Note 12]
Popes, cardinals and bishops wear gold and jewels. They wear rings and crosses. The Pope has a special ring known as the "Ring of the Fisherman". He also has magnificent pontifical rings which he wears on special occasions. Cardinals have rings of sapphire and gold. They often have additional rings of their own choosing. [Note 13]
Catholics kiss the Pope's ring. (They also kiss the rings of cardinals and bishops.) You can see pictures of this online. It is traditional to kneel when kissing the Pope's ring, but evidently some people don't kneel. On August 2, 2002, the President of Mexico kissed the Pope's ring. He bowed instead of kneeling, but even that caused a political controversy. [Note 14]
On special occasions, the Pope, cardinals and bishops wear gold miters and gold vestments. This is real gold, made with gold thread. You can see pictures online. [Note 15]
Popes wear ermine (an expensive fur often worn by royalty). They have a special cape called a mozzetta which is trimmed with ermine. [Note 16]
For solemn occasions, popes use a portable throne called a "sedia gestatoria". It is a richly adorned chair which is covered with silk. Long rods go through gold-covered rings. The throne is carried by twelve uniformed footmen. When the Pope celebrates solemn pontifical Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica, he arrives in state, preceded by a procession of cardinals, bishops and prelates. The Pope is carried on the sedia gestatoria, with a canopy over him and special fans made of white feathers on either side of him. [Note 17]
Pope Pius XII reigned from 1939 to 1958. When Vatican officials came into his presence, they had to kneel while speaking with him, and leave the room walking backwards. When he telephoned Vatican officials, they had to drop to their knees with the phone in their hand and remain kneeling while they spoke to him. This was going on in 1958. That is less than 50 years ago.[18]
The Pope has a huge, luxurious palace. The Pontifical Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter's Basilica are filled with priceless paintings and statues. The architecture is rich and ornate. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was painted by Michelangelo. In addition, there are 22 Vatican museums which are full of art treasures. Pictures of all of these things are available online. Please look at them. Words are inadequate to convey the rich architectural complexity and the artistic elegance of the Pope's palace, chapel, and church. Their opulence defies description. [Note 19]
Mary Ann Collins
(A Former Catholic Nun)
October 2002
In 314 A.D., Pope Silvester was crowned by Emperor Constantine. The Roman Emperor had converted to Christianity and he wanted to promote it. The Pope wanted to have the favor of the Roman Emperor instead of being persecuted.
Constantine gave Pope Silvester a beautiful palace with the finest furniture and art. Silvester wore silk brocade robes and he had servants to wait on him. Near his palace was a cathedral which had seven altars made of gold, a canopy of solid silver above the main altar, and 50 chandeliers. Silvester was given the use of the imperial mail system and transportation system. [Note 1]
Churchmen wore purple robes, reflecting the purple of Constantine's court. That was an external change. The most important change was an internal one. Under Pope Silvester, the internal structure of the Church took on the form and practice and pomp of the Roman Empire. Popes dressed and acted like Roman emperors and they had the same imperial attitude. They lived in luxury and they wanted to rule over both church and state. [Note 2]
Imperial papacy reached its peak during the Middle Ages. Popes were rich and powerful, and they ruled over kings and emperors.
Pope Gregory VII reigned from 1073 to 1085. He excommunicated the Holy Roman Emperor, Henry IV. In order to receive forgiveness from the Pope and to have the excommunication removed, Emperor Henry had to spend three days repenting in front of the castle where the Pope was staying. It was bitter cold (January 1077). Henry spent most of his time kneeling in the ice and snow, weeping and pleading for forgiveness. When Gregory finally allowed Henry to come into the castle, the Pope publicly humiliated the Emperor. [Note 3]
Pope Gregory VII declared that the Pope has the right to depose kings and emperors, to make laws, and to require secular rulers to kiss his feet. He said that nobody has the right to judge the Pope. Gregory also declared that because of the merits of Saint Peter, every duly elected Pope is a saint. [Note 4]
Pope Innocent III reigned from 1198 to 1216. He wore a gold crown covered with jewels. He sat upon a purple throne. His clothes sparkled with gold and jewels. His horse was covered with scarlet. Kings and churchmen kissed his foot. The Inquisition persecuted people who disagreed with him. Innocent became the most powerful man in the world. [Note 5]
Pope Boniface VIII reigned from 1294 to 1303. He said that he was Caesar, the Roman Emperor. He wore a crown which was covered with more than 200 costly jewels, including rubies, emeralds, sapphires, and large pearls. [Note 6]
Boniface sought to further increase the Pope's power and authority. In his encyclical "Unam Sanctam" he said that no person can be saved unless he or she is subject to the Pope. (You can read this online.) [Note 7]
Purple dye used to be extremely expensive. The color was a symbol of wealth and power. Purple was worn by Roman emperors and popes. During the middle ages, wealthy popes used gems and purple stones in papal architecture. The purple came from porphyry (a stone which has crystals embedded in a purple groundmass). [Note 8]
Pope Paul II reigned from 1464 to 1471. In 1464 he introduced the use of scarlet as another symbol of wealth and power. He called it "Cardinal's Purple" because it was worn by his cardinals. Scarlet became a luxury dye during the Middle Ages. Catholic cardinals still wear scarlet. [Note 9]
Pope Paul VI reigned from 1963 to 1978. He was the last Pope to wear the papal tiara. This is a triple crown, made of gold and covered with jewels. You can see pictures of the tiara online. [Note 10]
The Pope is an absolute monarch in the Vatican. He sits on an ornate throne. You can see pictures of the throne online. [Note 11]
Cardinals are called "princes of the church". They are citizens of the Vatican in addition to being citizens of their homelands. [Note 12]
Popes, cardinals and bishops wear gold and jewels. They wear rings and crosses. The Pope has a special ring known as the "Ring of the Fisherman". He also has magnificent pontifical rings which he wears on special occasions. Cardinals have rings of sapphire and gold. They often have additional rings of their own choosing. [Note 13]
Catholics kiss the Pope's ring. (They also kiss the rings of cardinals and bishops.) You can see pictures of this online. It is traditional to kneel when kissing the Pope's ring, but evidently some people don't kneel. On August 2, 2002, the President of Mexico kissed the Pope's ring. He bowed instead of kneeling, but even that caused a political controversy. [Note 14]
On special occasions, the Pope, cardinals and bishops wear gold miters and gold vestments. This is real gold, made with gold thread. You can see pictures online. [Note 15]
Popes wear ermine (an expensive fur often worn by royalty). They have a special cape called a mozzetta which is trimmed with ermine. [Note 16]
For solemn occasions, popes use a portable throne called a "sedia gestatoria". It is a richly adorned chair which is covered with silk. Long rods go through gold-covered rings. The throne is carried by twelve uniformed footmen. When the Pope celebrates solemn pontifical Mass in Saint Peter's Basilica, he arrives in state, preceded by a procession of cardinals, bishops and prelates. The Pope is carried on the sedia gestatoria, with a canopy over him and special fans made of white feathers on either side of him. [Note 17]
Pope Pius XII reigned from 1939 to 1958. When Vatican officials came into his presence, they had to kneel while speaking with him, and leave the room walking backwards. When he telephoned Vatican officials, they had to drop to their knees with the phone in their hand and remain kneeling while they spoke to him. This was going on in 1958. That is less than 50 years ago.[18]
The Pope has a huge, luxurious palace. The Pontifical Palace, the Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter's Basilica are filled with priceless paintings and statues. The architecture is rich and ornate. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel was painted by Michelangelo. In addition, there are 22 Vatican museums which are full of art treasures. Pictures of all of these things are available online. Please look at them. Words are inadequate to convey the rich architectural complexity and the artistic elegance of the Pope's palace, chapel, and church. Their opulence defies description. [Note 19]
