§ III. THE POPES AND THE SAINTS.

The Popes of the thirteenth century were the worthy leaders of this army of saints, and religious, which constituted the glory and the strength of the Church. The first amongst them, Innocent III. (1198-1216), made. his authority and his beneficent influence felt over all the Christian world; he reformed the pontifical court, he completely re-established the authority of the Holy See in Rome and in the States of the Church, he exerted every effort to maintain order and peace in Italy, he spurred on the crusades against the Mussulmans, arrested the heresy of the Albigenses, and powerfully contributed to the formation of the religious orders of which we have just spoken. When, at the end of his pontificate, he saw his immense works crowned with success, Islamism restrained, the princes subjected to the practice of the Evangelical laws, Christianity continuing its progress among the pagan people of the north of Europe, order and regularity established everywhere, heresy driven back, ecclesiastical and profane sciences shining with the brightest rays, and Christian artists raising those magnificent cathedrals which still excite our admiration,-Innocent III. wished to crown his work by a solemn assemblage of the great assizes of Christianity, and he convoked a general council in the Lateran palace (1215). The East and West were represented in this assembly by four hundred and twelve bishops, and by all the patriarchs, in person or by their legates. There were also present the principal heads of the religious orders, a multitude of abbots and priors, the ambassadors of the Emperors of Germany and of Constantinople, those of all the princes of Christendom ; in short, the light and learning of the Christian world were united under the presidency of the immortal pon

tiff. It was the twelfth Ecumenical Council, and the fourth of Lateran.

Fourth Council of Lateran, twelfth Ecumenical (1215).

The Council of Lateran occupied itself with dogma, with morals, and discipline. The errors of the Albigenses, of the Waldenses (Vaudois), of the Patarini, &c., were condemned. The Bishop of Constantinople, then in communion with the Church, was acknowledged with the title of patriarch, and was given the second rank amongst the patriarchs immediately after the one of Antioch. The reforms operated or begun by St. Gregory VII. were confirmed.

On account of the laxity which had crept in amongst the faithful, who approached not as often as formerly to the life-giving source of the sacraments, a canon enjoined, under pain of excommunication, to all the faithful of both sexes, to receive the sacraments of Penance and Holy Communion at least once a year, at the time of Easter. The council prescribed also the holding frequent provincial synods; and, finally, the impediment of kindred in marriage was declared to extend to the fourth degree, and thus closed the canonical legislation of the Church. The Crusade was the constant pre-occupation of the pope; lively exhortations were addressed to the Christian princes and to the people. Innocent III. died the following year, 1216.

Successors of Innocent III.

The first successors of Innocent III. were in continual strife with the Emperor Frederick II., who had been the pupil of the great pope, and whose only recognition of all the benefits he had received from the Holy See was irreligion and hatred. Honorius III. (1216-1227) for a long time deceived by this faithless prince, died

On

when he was about to take severe measures against him. St. Gregory IX. (1227-1241), nephew of Innocent III., was over eighty years old when elected; but with the calmness and prudence of age, he associated the vigour of maturity, and the fire and freshness of youth. After having exhorted Frederick II., for the last time, to start the crusade which he had sworn to undertake, he excommunicated him; it was then, as we have seen, that Frederick II. left at last for the Holy Land. his return he reconciled himself with the pope, in order to re-conquer his German and Italian States; but once having become master of them, he cared for nothing more. He invested one of his natural children with the island of Sardinia, which was a fief dependent on the Holy See; He arrogated to himself the nomination to all the ecclesiastical benefices in the kingdom of Naples, and trampled on the rights and privileges of the Church. The pope waited nearly three years before pronouncing against him a fresh excommunication; the obstinacy of the guilty prince at length forced him to strike (1239). Frederick replied to this blow by a manifesto in which he proclaimed his absolute sovereignty in all temporal and spiritual things; and he appealed from the pope to a general council. Liberty of conscience was thus much menaced by the tyrannical pretensions of the

emperor.

In these grave circumstances Gregory IX. offered the temporal crown to Robert of Artois, brother of St. Louis, at that time King of France. The holy king, without disapproving of this act of the pope, did not wish to engage France in this quarrel, but used all his efforts to bring back Frederick II. to better sentiments; and as the excommunicated emperor hindered the French and English prelates from presenting themselves at the council, which Gregory IX. had convoked at Rome, he protested earnestly, and showed himself ready to fight,

in order to insist on the bishops being respected. He wrote to the tyrant: "We demand the immediate re"lease of all the captive bishops. Think seriously upon "the side you are taking; the kingdom of France is not "so fallen as to bear without return the galling of your "spurs." However, Frederick succeeded in rendering the holding of the council impossible, and the death of Gregory IX. happened whilst this was going on, so he was encouraged to think his triumph was secure.

Celestin IV., who was elected, only reigned a few months (1241). The intrigues and the violence of Frederick prevented his successor being nominated for two years.

Innocent IV. (1243-1254), at last elected, was obliged to leave Rome and take refuge, at first, at Genoa, in his own country, then at Lyons, which was also a neutral city, only subject to the archbishop.

First General Council of Lyons, thirteenth Ecumenical. 1245.

The thirteenth Ecumenical Council, the first of Lyons, was convoked by Gregory IX. One hundred and forty bishops assisted at it, with the Latin patriarchs of the East, and deputies from all the Christian princes. The Emperor Frederick, who had been summoned to the council, refused to recognise its authority, when he saw it assembled. Several delays were granted to him, so that he had time to present himself at it, or to send his legates. Thaddeus of Suessia, one of the imperial counsellors, who pretended to place the emperor's authority above that of the pope, came to defend his cause; but it was soon seen that he only sought to gain time. After another delay, the 15th July, 1245, Innocent IV. appeared in the midst of the council, holding in his hand a lighted taper. All the bishops likewise held

tapers. Then, using at the same time the spiritual power which he had as head of the Church, and the temporal power, which the constitution of the Christian monarchies of that period, and particularly the constitution of the Holy Roman Empire, a creation of the Holy See, gave to him, he read the following decree of excommunication; "After mature deliberation with the "Cardinals and the Fathers of the Holy Council, We "declare Frederick II. rejected from the pale of the "Catholic Church; we absolve for ever from their oath all "who have sworn allegiance to him; we forbid by apos"tolical authority anyone henceforth to obey him as Em"peror of Germany, or as King of Sicily; and whoever "hereafter affords him help and counsel shall, by the very fact, incur excommunication. The electors are "bound to name, with as little delay as possible, a successor to the empire. As to the kingdom of Sicily, "we shall provide for it with the council of our brethren "the Cardinals.*

When the sentence had been pronounced, the cardinals and the bishops threw down and extinguished their tapers as a sign of malediction. Thaddeus of Suessia cried out: "The blow is struck; this is truly "the day of wrath;" and he fled away from the council to carry the news to his master. Frederick was transported with rage: "Who is then this pope, cried he, "who is this pope who expels me from his communion? "Who is he who dares touch my crown on my head? "Who is he who can do it! Where are my jewels? "Be quick and bring my jewels!" They were brought to him, and opening the casket, which contained several crowns he placed one on his head exclaiming: "No! "it is not lost, neither pope nor council have taken it

This kingdom was a fief of the Holy See.