Pope Celestine II

Pope Celestine II (Latin: Caelestinus II; died 8 March 1144), born Guido di Castello,Thomas, pg. 91 was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 26 September 1143* to his death in 1144.
==Early life==
Guido di Castello, possibly the son of a local noble, Niccolo di Castello,Mann, pg. 105 was born either in Città di Castello, situated in Paterna Santa Felicità upon the Apennines, or at Macerata in the March of Ancona.Mann, pg. 105According to Mann (pg. 104), there is a local tradition that Celestine II, when he became pope, presented the cathedral in Città di Castello with a sculptured silver altar-front.
Guido had studied under Pierre Abélard, and eventually became a distinguished master in the schools.Mann, pg. 105 Eventually Guido began his career in Rome as a subdeacon and a scriptor apostolicus under Pope Callixtus II.Mann, pg. 105 He was created Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Via Lata by Pope Honorius II in 1127;Mann, pg. 106 as such, he signed the papal bulls issued between 3 April 1130 and 21 December 1133.J.M.Brixius, Die Mitglieder des Kardinalkollegiums von 1130–1181, Berlin, 1912, p. 35 no. 19 In the double papal election of 1130 he joined the obedience of Pope Innocent II. In December 1133 Innocent promoted him to the rank of Cardinal-Priest of San Marco.Mann, pg. 106 He signed the papal bulls as S.R.E. indignus sacerdos between 11 January 1134 and 16 May 1143.J.M.Brixius, Die Mitglieder des Kardinalkollegiums von 1130–1181, Berlin, 1912, p. 35 no. 19 and p. 43 no. 23, indicates that Guido del Castello and Guido S.R.E. indignus sacerdos were two different persons; but see L. Spätling, Kardinal Guido und seine Legation in Böhmen-Mähren (1142–1146) in: Mitteilungen des Instituts für österreichische Geschichtsforschung, Wagner'sche Universitäts-buchhandlung, 1958, p. 310 As the cardinal of San Marco's, he supported Innocent's claims with regards to Monte Cassino, and as a mark of his confidence in him, Innocent made Guido the rector of Benevento. Afterwards, he made him a papal legate to France in 1140.Thomas, pg. 91
He participated in the papal election of 1143, the first undisturbed papal election that Rome had seen for eighty-two years,Mann, pg. 103 and was elected pope two days after the death of Innocent II,Mann, pg. 102 on 25 September 1143,Thomas, pg. 91 taking the name of Celestine.Mann, pg. 103
==Papacy==
Celestine II governed the Catholic Church for only five months and thirteen days from his election until his death on 8 March 1144. Upon his accession he wrote to Peter the Venerable and the monks of Cluny, asking them to pray for him, while he was congratulated by Arnulf of Lisieux.Mann, pgs. 106–107 Regardless of the brevity of his reign, he was prepared to chart a very different course from that of his predecessor. He was opposed to Innocent II's concessions to King Roger II of SicilyMann, pg. 108 and refused to ratify the Treaty of Mignano ("a foolish policy, which he survived – just – long enough to regret"). He was in favor of the Plantagenets' claim to the English throne, and was therefore opposed to King Stephen of England. To emphasise this shift, he refused to renew the legatine authority that Innocent II had granted to King Stephen's brother, Henry of Blois.Mann, pg. 108 Celestine also favored the Templars, ordering a general collection for them, as well as the Hospitallers, giving them control of the hospital of Saint Mary Teutonicorum in Jerusalem.Mann, pg. 111
The principal act of his papacy was the absolution of Louis VII of France.Mann, pg. 108 King Louis had refused to accept the nomination of Pierre de la Chatre as the archbishop of Bourges, who went to see Innocent II to have his nomination confirmed.Mann, pg. 109 When Pierre returned to France in 1142, Louis refused him permission to enter his episcopal city, causing Pierre to flee to the court of Count Theobald II of Champagne. Innocent responded by placing France under an interdict.Mann, pg. 109 For two years, the various parties remained at loggerheads while Bernard of Clairvaux attempted to mediate the dispute.Mann, pgs. 109–110 With the election of Celestine, both Bernard and Theobald appealed to the pope, while Louis sent ambassadors to have the interdict lifted.Mann, pgs. 110–111 Louis agreed to accept Pierre as the legitimate archbishop of Bourges, and in return, Celestine removed the sentence of interdict.Mann, pg. 111
Celestine died on 8 March 1144Thomas, pg. 91 in the monastery of Saint Sebastian on the Palatine hill and was buried in the south transept of the Lateran.Mann, pg. 111 Celestine's heraldic badge was a lozengy shield of argent and gules.
Celestine II is the first pope listed in the Prophecies of St Malachy.
==See also==
*Cardinals created by Celestine II
==References==
==Sources==
*
* Thomas, P. C., A Compact History of the Popes, St Pauls BYB, 2007
* Mann, Horace K., The Lives of the Popes in the Middle Ages, Vol 9 (1925)
 
Category:1144 deaths
Category:Italian popes
Category:People from Città di Castello
Category:Popes
Category:Year of birth unknown
Category:12th-century popes
Category:Burials at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran