Pope Benedict XIV

Pope Benedict XIV (; 31 March 1675 – 3 May 1758), born Prospero Lorenzo Lambertini, was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 248th Pope from 1740 until his death in 1758. "List of Popes,"  Catholic Encyclopedia (2009); retrieved 2011-11-8.

Early life
Lambertini was born in Bologna. "Pope Benedict XIV," Catholic Encyclopedia; retrieved 2011-11-8.

Bishop
In 1725, Lambertini was made Bishop of Theodosia. He became the Bishop of Ancona in 1727.  He was made Bishop of Bologna in 1731.

Cardinal
lambertini was raised to the rank of cardinal in 1728.

Pope
He was elected Pope in 1740; and he chose to be called Benedict XIV.Note on ordinal numbering: Popes Benedict XI–XVI are really the 10th–15th popes with that name.  This is because Benedict X is now parsed as an antipope; but during the reign of Benedict XI, this was not recognized. The "true" or actual thirteenth pope Benedict identified himself with the ordinal number XIV.  In other words, the numbering of popes after the 10th Benedict needs to be explained -- compare Popes Boniface VIII–IX.

Benedict confirms the title of King of Prussia, which was taken in 1701 by the Elector of Brandenburg.

The pope remained neutral in the War of the Spanish Succession.Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. (1833).  "Benedict XIV," Penny cyclopaedia,  Vol. 4, p. 215.

Benedict ordered the construction of the Fountains of Trevi.

During Benedict's reign, the creation of a Vatican Library catalogue was begun.

Related pages 
 List of popes

References

Other websites


  Catholic Hierarchy,  Pope Benedict XIV
 Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church ,  Cardinal Lambertini 
Pope Benedict XIV portrait in the Vatican Museum

Category:Italian popes
Category:1675 births
Category:1758 deaths