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The video delves into the life, papacy, and legacy of Pietro Angeleri, also known as Pope Celestine V. It examines his humble beginnings as a saintly healer from a peasant background and his profound religious vocation, leading to his solitary life as a Benedictine hermit. The video covers Pietro's significant journey to Lyon in 1274, his encounters with the Templars, and the symbolic connection between Jerusalem and his favored city, L'Aquila. Crucial historical events include his reluctant election as pope during a tense and prolonged conclave in 1292-1294, influenced by Charles I of Anjou.
Celestine V's papacy began with grand symbolic gestures, such as his coronation in L'Aquila and the introduction of the Perdonanza bull, granting plenary indulgence. However, his reign was marred by struggles for solitude and contemplation of resignation, ultimately leading to his abdication on December 13, 1294. This controversial resignation, known as the "great refusal," has been widely debated by historians and literary figures like Dante.
Post-abdication, Celestine faced imprisonment in harsh conditions at the fortress of Mount Fumone by his successor, Pope Boniface VIII, until his death in 1296. His remains underwent multiple relocations and desecrations, including being stolen in 1988 before being recovered. The video highlights the enduring veneration of Celestine V and the shifting dynamics of papal power, marking an end to papal absolutism and the onset of the age of national states.
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In this segment of the video, the narrator recounts the final moments and the legacy of Pietro Angeleri, who died on May 19, 1296. Known as Pope Celestine V, Angeleri’s life and death were shrouded in mystery and marked by supernatural occurrences, such as the appearance of a luminous cross of fire in the sky. His actions and motivations continue to spark debate, with questions about his relationship with the Templars, his decision to accept and then renounce the papacy, and his true intentions for church reform.
The video explores his origins, indicating that his birthplace is disputed between two locations in Molise, Italy, and scrutinizes his early life, highlighting his religious vocation from a young age and his eventual path to monasticism in the Benedictine order. Known for his ascetic lifestyle, Pietro favored hermitage, living in solitude or with a few monks in remote and austere environments, which mirrored the broader religious tensions and the rise of various monastic orders in the 13th century. His fame and influence gradually grew as he adopted a life characterized by simplicity and austerity, away from the secular world.
00:05:00
In this part of the video, the narrative focuses on Pietro del Morrone, also known as Pope Celestine V, highlighting his background as a saintly healer born from a peasant culture. Despite his attempts to escape the political turmoil of his time, he often found himself caught up in it. Pietro took a significant journey in 1274 to Lyon to gain papal recognition for his order, a trip during which he encountered the Templars. The video also discusses the purported connection between Celestine V and the Templars and parallels drawn between the cities of Jerusalem and L’Aquila, the latter being notably linked to Celestine V.
The segment further explores the historical context of the era, including the construction of the Santa Maria di Colle Maggio church in Abruzzo, where Celestine V was crowned. The aftermath of the 2009 earthquake, which damaged this basilica, is depicted along with its importance as a pilgrimage destination. It touches on regional power dynamics, particularly between the Angiovins of Naples and the Sicilians, who had ousted the French dynasty following the 1282 Vespers revolt. The complex political landscape is underscored, especially the prolonged vacancy of the papacy following Pope Nicholas IV’s death, exacerbated by conflicts among Roman families and external pressures from France and Spain.
00:10:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on the events surrounding the papal conclave of 1292-1294 and the eventual election of Pope Celestine V. The conclave experienced significant delays due to disputes and a plague, leading to a prolonged decision-making process. Charles I of Anjou interjected by appealing to the cardinals, aiming to advance his political agreement with the Aragonese, but faced resistance and had to withdraw. Nonetheless, Charles maneuvered to meet Pietro del Morrone, a respected and elderly hermit, who subsequently sent a prophetic letter to the conclave urging for a prompt decision.
The Cardinals, influenced by this intervention and Pietro’s saintly reputation, voted unanimously for him, seeing him as a solution to their impasse. The election was officially communicated months later, and Celestine V took strategic actions immediately, including choosing to be crowned in L’Aquila rather than Rome or Perugia. This choice was symbolically significant and aligned with favoring his monastic order, Charles I of Anjou, and the city of L’Aquila. Celestine’s humble entrance into the city, riding a donkey, mirrored Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, indicating his vision for his papacy.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the focus is on the beginning of the church’s renewal under Pope Celestine V, who chose August 29th for his coronation, symbolically linked to Saint John the Baptist’s martyrdom. Celestine compared the papal tiara to the scimitar used in John’s beheading, emphasizing his willingness to sacrifice for the church’s unity. The coronation day in 1294 saw a massive gathering of 200,000 pilgrims, including notable figures like Charles of Anjou and Dante Alighieri.
Celestine made significant moves by ratifying the agreement with the Aragonese, appointing 12 new cardinals, and promulgating the Inter sanctorum solemnia, also known as the bull of forgiveness or Perdonanza. This bull granted plenary indulgence to visitors of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio in L’Aquila. Despite this, Celestine soon sought solitude and built a cell in Naples’ Castelnuovo, contemplating resignation. The video also touches on the theological issue of a pope’s ability to resign, ultimately resolved by Caetani, the future Pope Boniface VII. Celestine’s legacy, including the annual rite of Forgiveness in L’Aquila, continues to be honored.
00:20:00
In this segment, the video covers significant historical events following an earthquake in 2009, focusing on Pope Celestine V’s abdication on December 13, 1294. Celestine, driven by personal humility, physical weakness, and the malignity of the public, renounces his papal throne, a move known as the “great refusal.” This act has been debated by historians and literary critics, including Dante, Petrarch, and Boccaccio, with divergent views on Celestine’s motives and character. Despite hopes for radical church reforms, Celestine’s resignation disappointed many within Christianity. His successor, Benedetto Caetani, elected as Pope Boniface VIII, quickly acted to solidify his position. Concerned about potential challenges to his papacy, Boniface restrained Celestine, who attempted to flee before being captured and escorted to the Caetani stronghold in Lazio. The segment concludes with the tension between Boniface and Celestine, foreshadowing Boniface’s future conflicts.
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In this part of the video, it is detailed how Celestine V, after his unsuccessful plea to return to Morrone, faces harsh conditions in the fortress of Mount Fumone, where he is imprisoned. Despite his ill-health, he lives until May 19, 1296, aged 86. Celestine’s death is surrounded by rumors of unnatural causes, albeit improbable, and the phenomenon of a fiery cross witnessed during the beatification process. His body, initially buried at the Church of Sant’Antonio in Fumone, faces desecration years later under Philip the Fair for relics. Celestine, venerated by many, continues to be a figure of miracles, while Boniface’s reign ends in humiliation with his death in October 1303, post the Anagni incident.
00:30:00
In this segment, the video narrates the story of Celestine V and the events surrounding his death and the fate of his remains. Initially, there’s speculation about a hole found in his skull, but it’s noted it wasn’t necessary to kill an old, dying man that way, and the hole likely occurred after his death. Celestine’s body went through several relocations due to disputes before finding a resting place in L’Aquila in February 1327. The narrative then jumps to April 1988, when journalist investigations reveal his remains were stolen. The remains were carried in a coffin to a van by thieves who entered through an unguarded side door of the Basilica of Santa Maria di Collemaggio. Initial theories on the motive ranged from black masses to ransom attempts. The mystery is resolved in less than two days when Celestine’s remains were found in a small cemetery 40 km away, but the incident left lingering ambiguities. The segment concludes by reflecting on the shifting eras of papal power, marking the end of papal absolutism with Celestine V and Boniface VIII, leading into the age of national states.