POPE GREGORY XI Meaning and
Definition
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Pope Gregory XI was the 200th pope of the Catholic Church, serving from 1370 until his death in 1378. Born Pierre Roger de Beaufort in 1331, he was the son of the powerful French nobleman Jean Roger de Beaufort, who later became Pope Clement VI. Gregory XI's pontificate was marked by several significant events and decisions.
One of the most notable actions taken by Pope Gregory XI was his decision to move the papacy back to Rome from Avignon, where it had been located for almost 70 years. This relocation is often referred to as the "Avignon Papacy" or the "Babylonian Captivity of the Papacy." Gregory XI's return to Rome in 1377 ended this period and restored the papacy to its original seat of power.
During his pontificate, Pope Gregory XI also faced challenges within the Catholic Church, particularly from the growing movement known as the Western Schism. This division ultimately led to the establishment of rival claimants to the papal throne and a period of intense conflict and confusion within the Church.
Pope Gregory XI died in 1378 at the age of 47, just a year after returning the papacy to Rome. His reign is often seen as a transitional period in the history of the Catholic Church, bridging the gap between the Avignon Papacy and the subsequent papacies that would grapple with the Western Schism.
