← All saints
Saint Celestine V
Image: Niccolò di Tommaso · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Saint Celestine V

The Abruzzo hermit who became pope and resigned after five months

Rank
Saint
Kind
Pope, Religious
Life
1215 – 1296
Era
13th century
Feast
19 May
Countries
Italy
Italy

Life story

Pietro Angelerio was born into a family in Molise in southern Italy, around 1209 or 1215; sources differ on the year. He became a Benedictine monk and then lived as a hermit on Monte Morrone in Abruzzo. A group of disciples formed around him, later the Celestine order, a branch of the Benedictines; Gregory X approved it in 1274.

After the death of Nicholas IV in 1292 the cardinals could not agree for over two years. On 5 July 1294 they elected this elderly hermit as pope, and he took the name Celestine V. He was consecrated at L'Aquila in late August. Unused to the machinery and politics of the court, he met with many difficulties, and King Charles II of Naples had considerable influence on his decisions. The court was then divided between competing Italian families and the interests of the Neapolitan king, and the new pope issued a number of grants and appointments that later had to be reviewed. Contemporaries describe a man who was austere and uneasy in the role.

After only about five months, on 13 December 1294, he declared his resignation because he wished to return to the hermit's life. Cardinal Benedetto Caetani was elected to succeed him as Boniface VIII. Fearing that discontented people might use Celestine as a rival, Boniface kept him under guard. He died on 19 May 1296 at the castle of Fumone, near Ferentino.

Clement V canonised him on 5 May 1313. His feast is on 19 May. His resignation is remembered as a rare case in the history of the papacy.

Works and witness

  • Lived as a hermit on Monte Morrone and gathered disciples, later the Celestines
  • The order was approved by Gregory X in 1274
  • Elected pope on 5 July 1294
  • Resigned on 13 December 1294
  • Died at Fumone on 19 May 1296; canonised in 1313

Saints from the same country

Saint Agnes, Saint Lawrence, Saint Cecilia, Saint Sebastian

References

  • Martyrologium Romanum
  • Dicastery for the Causes of Saints – biographical profile
  • Peter of Morrone, Vita Sancti Petri Celestini (medieval vita)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.