Pope Saint Gelasius II

detail of an 18th century fresco of Pope Saint Gelasius II, artist unknown; Saint Augustine church, Rattenberg, Tyrol, Austria; photographed on 20 August 2010 by Wolfgang Sauber; swiped from Wikimedia Commons Also known as

Giovanni de Gaeta

Memorial

29 January

Profile

Benedictine monk at Monte Cassino. Counsellor to Pope Pascal II. Cardinal. Chancellor of the Vatican. Chosen 161st Pope. His election was contested by Cenzio Frangipani who imprisoned him; a Roman mob rescued him and placed him on the throne. He struggled with Holy Roman Emperor Henry V and his appointed anti-pope, Maurice Bourdin, for control of the corporate church, and fled to France to escape their forces.