Pope Innocent II

Pope Innocent IIAlso known as

  • Gregory Papareschi

Profile

Priest. Part of the court of anti-pope Clement III. Created cardinal-deacon by Pope Paschal II. Accompanied Pope Gelasius II when he was driven into France. Performed diplomatic missions for Pope Callistus II. Helped conclude the Concordat of Worms in 1122. Papal legate to France in 1123. Elected 164th pope in 1130.

Soon after his ascension, his political opponents chose the anti-pope Anacletus II, and Innocent was forced to flee Rome, first to Pisa, Italy then Genoa, Italy and finally to France. He received the support of Lothar II of Germany and the German bishops. In August 1132 Lothar travelled to Italy to depose Anacletus, and to be crowned emperor by Innocent. Anacletus proved to have more support that first thought, and he maintained his rival papacy until his death on 25 January 1138. Innocent hoped to heal the wounds of the long schism, but he almost immediately became involved in lengthy political disputes involving the city of Tivoli, Italy and with Louis VII of France.

Born

  • as Gregory Papareschi

Papal Ascension

Died

Additional Information

MLA Citation

  • “Pope Innocent II“. CatholicSaints.Info. 6 June 2019. Web. 31 July 2021. <>