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History of the papacy

  • Western SchismThe year 1309 marked the beginning of a seventy-year period when the papal court resided in Avignon, France. Philip IV of France exerted significant pressure…
  • AnnatesIn the 6th century, bishops ordained in Rome began presenting gifts to ecclesiastical authorities as a customary practice.
  • Attempted assassination of Pope John Paul IIOn the 13th of May 1981, Pope John Paul II entered St. Peter's Square in Vatican City to greet a crowd of supporters. Mehmet Ali Ağca sat among the…
  • Renaissance PapacyIn 1420, the papacy returned to Rome under Pope Martin V. This event marked a shift after decades of absence during the Western Schism.
  • Papal StatesIn 754, Pepin the Short led a Frankish army into Italy to defeat the Lombards. This military campaign marked the beginning of papal temporal power.