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Abdication of Celestine V
On December 13, 1294, Celestine V, having reigned only about five months, announced his resignation from the papacy in Naples, becoming the first pop…
Timeline
- 1294Naples · NaplesCelestine V resigned the papacy by written declaration at the Castel Nuovo in Naples, claiming he was unequal to the pastoral and administrative burdens. No such precedent existed in Church history, shaking the Christian world of Europe.
- 1294Rome · RomeAfter the abdication the papacy entered a new interregnum and the cardinals prepared an election. Celestine V himself was later imprisoned by order of Boniface VIII until his death; the consequences of the abdication remained controversial for years.
Sources
- Celestine V https://www.britannica.com/biography/Celestine-V
- A History of the Popes — John F. Duffy (2006)