Saint Celestine V

Saint Celestine V

Saint Celestine V 1215–96, pope (elected July 5, resigned Dec. 13, 1294), an Italian (b. Isernia) named Pietro del Murrone; successor of Nicholas IV. Celestine's election ended a two-year deadlock among the cardinals over a successor to Nicholas IV. Although he was known for his austere life as a hermit and for his extremist followers, who called themselves Celestines, he proved a most ineffectual pope and an easy prey to opportunists. King Charles II of Naples quickly dominated him and kept the pope in Naples. Celestine freely granted privileges and offices, turned the duties of his office over to a committee of three cardinals, and kept to his cell. His reign was so chaotic that he abdicated after only five months and ordered a new election. His successor, Boniface VIII, canceled his official acts and, to avert possible schism among Celestine's ardent followers, kept Celestine in confinement until his death. Celestine was canonized in 1313. Feast: May 19.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

"Saint Celestine V." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

"Saint Celestine V." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-CelestinV.html

"Saint Celestine V." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-CelestinV.html

Learn more about citation styles

Celestine V, St

Celestine V, St (c.1215–96), Pope from July to Dec. 1294. He became a Benedictine at the age of 17, but retired to Monte Morrone, where the many disciples who gathered round him became the nucleus of the Celestine Order. Elected Pope when he was nearly 80, he was naïve and ignorant of procedure and became a tool of Charles II of Naples; he abdicated. He is sometimes known as St Peter Celestine from his baptismal name of Peter. Feast day, 19 May, no longer in the universal calendar.

Show all research tools

Cite this article
Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography.

  • MLA
  • Chicago
  • APA

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Celestine V, St." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. 30 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Celestine V, St." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Encyclopedia.com. (May 30, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-CelestineVSt.html

E. A. LIVINGSTONE. "Celestine V, St." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. 2000. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O95-CelestineVSt.html

Learn more about citation styles

Free newspaper and magazine articles

A model saint?(Moments in Time)(Celestine V, pope for less than a year in...
Magazine article from: National Catholic Reporter; 9/19/2003
MAY 19.(Features)
Newspaper article from: South Wales Echo (Cardiff, Wales); 5/19/2003
More than 150 killed, 1,500 hurt in quake in Italy.(Front)
Newspaper article from: The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA); 4/7/2009

Pictures from Google Image Search

Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture
Click to see an enlarged picture

See more pictures of Celestine V, Saint