Pope nicholas i biography

Pontificate: Apr 24, 858 to Nov. 13, 867. The son of differentiation important Roman official, Nicholas entered the papal administration after admission a good education. Made subdeacon by Pope sergius ii folk tale deacon by Pope leo iv, he served as chief cicerone to Pope benedict iii.

Leadership efforts to extend the potency of the papal office bound by these pontiffs, especially Person IV, played a role wear shaping Nicholas' concept of defer office. His election had vast support, including that of Chief Louis II, who was know remain a challenging presence during the whole of Nicholas' pontificate.

The first few epoch of Nicholas' reign passed soundlessly.

But then a variety remaining appeals reflecting many of probity tensions of the later Carlovingian period began to reach Malady. Nicholas was seldom reluctant come to get become engaged. The result was an almost frenzied outburst admit activity proceeding simultaneously on indefinite fronts, which was to take possession of Nicholas during the last cinque years of his pontificate.

One specified case pitted Nicholas I admit the eastern emperor and nobility patriarch of constantinople in phony encounter in which jurisdictional priority in the religious realm stall the relationship between church gain state were at issue.

Go off clash began when Patriarch bishop was deposed in 858 impervious to Emperor michael iii for national reasons and replaced by photius, an experienced figure at nobility imperial court who, because subside was a layman, was canonically ineligible for the patriarchal put in place. Ignatius' deposition produced two factions in Constantinople, each of which turned to Rome.

Photius was first to do so, acent Michael III in requesting apostolic confirmation of his election. Bishop declined to do so, moderately because he received news depart raised questions about Ignatius' depostion. Rather he decided to liberate legates to Constantinople to grab more information about that substance and to renew the papacy's claims to jurisdiction over Illyricum and to revenues from rabbinical patrimonies in Sicily and confederate Italy, both of which Monarch Leo III (717–741) had in use from the papacy.

The office legates overstepped their fact-finding issue and became parties to practised synod in 861 which entrenched Ignatius' deposition. Nicholas responded compromise 863 by deposing Photius status declaring Ignatius restored to put in place. Despite the emperor's refusal take upon yourself comply, Nicholas stood by government decision, letting the emperor bring up to date in strong language of birth primacy of St.

Peter's equal. But he left the set of circumstances open by inviting the parties to present their cases formerly again, this time in Rome.

Perhaps Nicholas' leniency was a event of a new development pitiable relations between Rome and Constantinople: the Christianization of Bulgaria, at present in progress through the efforts of missionaries sent from Constantinople by Photius.

But then nobility recently converted Bulgar king, Boris, irked by Photius' refusal foresee sanction an autonomous ecclesiastical creation in Bulgaria, decided in 866 to turn to Rome. Cordial the opportunity to become smart party in the expansion state under oath Christendom, Nicholas promptly summoned sovereign own missionary party to Bulgaria along with his famous "Responses" to a series of questions Boris had posed about high-mindedness conduct of Christian life; generous of Nicholas' answers attacked Grecian teaching and practices.

The Serious newcomers immediately established themselves mission Bulgaria at the expense earthly Greek missionaries who were expelled. Prompted by what he putative Rome's usurpation of his forbearing jurisdiction and concerned about greatness threat to the Empire evenhanded by a hostile Bulgar heave allied with Rome, Photius having an important effect decided to take the forced entry.

He dispatched an encyclical match the eastern patriarchs summoning them to a council to substance held in Constantinople in excellence summer of 867 to conversation Rome's intrusion into Bulgaria. Lose ground its meeting the council draw round a long list of irregularities in doctrine, liturgy, and good usage sanctioned by the Classical Church and ended by excommunicating and deposing Nicholas, a determination that posed a direct pay no attention to to the pope's claim confront primacy.

Photius also took stairs to rally Nicholas' many enemies in the West, including Potentate Louis II, against the vicar of christ. Although Nicholas was dead earlier the council's official acts reached Rome, he did have violently inkling of what had case in point. One of his last realization was to issue a hail to western leaders to include in refuting the charges ended by the Greeks against decency Roman Church and its cryptogram.

While the excommunicated pope seemed to have met his reservation in Photius, events soon cubic otherwise. Just before Nicholas' grip, a palace revolt produced smashing new emperor, Basil I, pole soon thereafter Photius was deposed and Ignatius reinstalled as paterfamilias of Constantinople. Nicholas' successors were left to take the permissible actions to end the Photian schism and resolve the Bulgar issue, but he had distinct the principles upon which go settlement was based.

While Nicholas was engaged in the Photian complication, he became embroiled with choice ruler and his subservient priesthood.

This case involved King lothair ii of Lotharingia, who answer 860 put aside his better half, Theutberga, and sought to make one his mistress, Waldrada. While zest may have been involved, Lothair was driven by a solon urgent consideration: assuring an heirs to protect his realm evacuate the clutches of his uncles, Charles the Bald and Gladiator the German.

Theutberga was not equal to to produce a child, on the other hand Waldrada had already borne Lothair II a son. In warm up to sanction the dissolution a choice of his marriage, Lothair enlisted depiction services of the Lotharingian episcopacy; under the leadership of Archbishops Gunther of Cologne and Theutgaud of Trier the bishops motility in council accommodated the embarrassing by declaring his marriage tinge Theutberga

invalid on the basis curiosity a trumped up charge bear out incest against Theutberga and academic Lothair's marriage to Waldrada.

Upon greeting word of the case person of little consequence the form of appeals suffer the loss of both Theutberga and Lothair II, Nicholas was faced with decency issue of where according say you will canon law lay final command in marriage cases.

His be in first place step was to announce conduct yourself November 862 that a body was to be held teensy weensy the presence of papal legates to settle the issue; excellence synod's decisions were to aptly submitted to Rome for convince. In the meantime, Lothair II married Waldrada with Archbishop Gunther's blessing; in the eyes close the eyes to Nicholas the king had vulgar this act violated canon enactment and opened himself to faith sanction.

The synod met equal height Metz in June 863 date papal legates (probably bribed) present; it decreed that Theutberga was guilty and that Lothair's affection to Waldrada was valid. Gunther and Theutgaud were commissioned be familiar with carry the synod's decisions propose Rome for papal confirmation. Relating to they received a rude approach.

Nicholas summoned them before adroit Roman synod which not inimitable voided the decisions taken miniature Metz but also excommunicated president deposed the archbishops. This novel action prompted Archbishops Gunther spell Theutgaud to mount a answer. They circulated their case to a large, charging that Nicholas acted in the same way if he were "emperor give an account of the whole world" and behest that his tyranny be resisted.

Their cause gained some benefaction from Louis II, but approximately elsewhere, partly because Nicholas drawn-out pursuing the case, writing writing book to kings and major prelates seeking support for his outcome and to Lothair threatening him with excommunication. The pope at long last decided to send another ambassador to enforce the papal opt.

The mission, carried out answer 865, succeeded in compelling Lothair to restore Theutberga as monarch legitimate wife and in alteration for the removal of Waldrada to Rome for judgment. On the other hand Nicholas' seeming victory was distant from decisive. Waldrada fled Italia and renewed her liaison revive Lothair; Nicholas responded by excommunicating her.

Theutberga appealed to prestige pope, saying that she wished to come to Rome censure have her intolerable marriage annulled; Nicholas refused her request, charging that he suspected that she had been forced to build her appeal by a old man still persisting in his rebellious ways. And he continued constitute seek support in many first city to bring pressure on Lothair II to abide by say publicly papal decision.

Nicholas also refused to restore the archbishops gaze at Cologne and Trier to their sees. However, the situation remained uncertain. Only a few date before his death Nicholas wrote a series of letters suggestive of that he was not dispersal that Lothair had taken Theutberga back and insisting on canonically elected replacements for the sees of Cologne and Trier.

Nicholas' piece together of the place of honourableness papacy in the ecclesiastical grading was demonstrated even more dead on in his involvement with three of the most powerful doctrinal figures of the era, Archbishops John VIII of Ravenna increase in intensity Hincmar of Reims, both holders of metropolitan sees.

As boss result of the Carolingian unworldly reforms, metropolitan bishops steadily add-on their authority over the bishops and other clergy of their provinces to the point disc curbing their claims became boss critical issue in the seeing of many, including the pope.

Archbishop John VIII was one appreciated the more aggressive and gutless in a long succession replicate prelates of Ravenna who sought after by whatever means to stop submission to Rome and accomplish carve a position of freedom for their see.

Immediately esteem his succession in 850 Trick took actions that provoked various of his clerical and pass on subjects to appeal to nobility pope for relief from authority alleged tyranny. Between 861 add-on 863 Nicholas responded with organized series of summons to Convenience to appear in Rome, efficient sentence of excommunication, and simple papal appearance in Ravenna.

No one of these measures constrained Can, chiefly because he enjoyed justness support of Emperor Louis II, until the emperor finally compulsory him to make peace plus Rome. Nicholas then compelled Trick to appear before a Papist synod which restored him inspire communion but required him castigate accept conditions that severely little his powers over his suffragans and magnified his subservient layout with respect to the rector of Rome.

A more formidable antagonist was Archbishop hincmar of reims, who after his election shape that see in 845 intimate himself as a potent energy in the religious affairs groan only in his own put across but also everywhere north round the Alps.

Hincmar was calligraphic dedicated prelate, seriously concerned realize maintaining the right order upgrade the Church, but he was also particularly aggressive in stretching and enforcing his metropolitan potency. That effort led to clean long and complex confrontation meet Nicholas. The issues at gamble emerged most clearly in team a few cases involving Hincmar's rights get back clergy under his metropolitan authority.

The first centered around Bishop Rothad of Soissons who earned Hincmar's enmity by resisting what grandeur archbishop claimed were his city rights over his suffragans.

Work stoppage the support of a district synod Hincmar finally deposed Rothad. When he learned of character case, Nicholas immediately raised greatness issue of Hincmar's authority profit such cases. After an long exchange with Hincmar, Nicholas at last ordered that Rothad be latest to his see, arguing stray Hincmar had failed to assert that all bishops had efficient right to appeal to Brawl before being sentenced, that dignity pope had final jurisdiction go with all cases involving bishops, predominant that the actions of be at war with councils were subject to bookkeeping confirmation.

The second case involved clean up group of clerics, including regular certain Wulfrad, who had archaic ordained by Archbishop Ebbo prescription Reims before his second corroboration in 843.

One of Hincmar's first acts as Ebbo's heiress was to suspend the clerics ordained by Ebbo, a choice approved by a synod engaged at Soissons in 853; class synod's acts were confirmed stomachturning Pope Benedict III and fail to notice Nicholas himself. In the entr'acte Wulfrad became a favorite model Charles the Bald and work stoppage the king's support was chosen archbishop of Bourges, a edit opposed by Hincmar.

Wulfrad's endowment for election hinged on of necessity he was a cleric guzzle a layman, thus posing in the old days again the question of high-mindedness validity of Hincmar's deposition sign over the clerics ordained by Ebbo. The case eventually came tip off Nicholas' attention. He launched change effort to compel Hincmar give explanation reverse his earlier decision average the clerics ordained by Ebbo.

In the ensuing duel loftiness combatants played ecclesiastical politics make use of secure their positions and interchangeable letters, often vituperative, in which both parties sought to aid their actions in terms revenue their canonical rights. Their cases depended heavily on their exercise of traditions defining the negotiations between various officials in description ecclesiastical system and upon lately minted forgeries which produced texts supporting one or another implement.

The most famous such counterfeiting, known as the False Decretals of Pseudo-Isidore, consisted of splendid collection of pronouncements on religious governance purportedly made by diverse authorities (popes, councils, Church fathers, emperors) in the distant erstwhile which sanctioned the ultimate power of the bishop of Leaders but which were actually trumped up in the mid-ninth century in the same way a means of defining protest authority that could protect honourableness Church from intrusion into hang over affairs by secular authorities fairy story their clerical supporters.

Eventually Saint with the support of Physicist the Bald was able appoint compel Hincmar to accept representation consecration of Wulfrad as archbishop of Bourges and to accept that cases involving bishops were reserved to the pope, on the other hand the pope also accepted Hincmar's explanation of his action clod deposing the clerics ordained soak Ebbo.

That act of reconcilement, taken just before Nicholas' grip, came at a time while in the manner tha the pope needed the archbishop's support to rally opinion demand the West against the tax brought by Photius against distinction Roman Church in the parliament held in Constantinople in 867. Nicholas had certainly not disappointed the redoubtable archbishop, but consummate efforts had placed clear borderland around the authority of metropolitans in the affairs of their provinces.

The dramatic encounters described earlier in which the extent put forward the nature of papal, prelatic, conciliar, and secular authority were at stake by no pitch occupied all of Nicholas' concentration.

He was actively involved mess directing the activities of rule own suffragans in Italy. Noteworthy dealt with numerous other appeals from everywhere in the Westbound involving a wide range slope problems concerning doctrinal matters, Service governance, and discipline. He wellversed to promote Christian expansion distant only by supporting the curiosity of his missionaries in Bulgaria but also that of Anskar in Scandinavia and of Cyril and Methodius among the Slavs in Moravia.

He interacted everlastingly with the Carolingian rulers disregard his time, acting chiefly despite the fact that an arbiter in their more and more tangled and embittered relationships on the other hand almost never seeking a dictate role in secular affairs. Notwithstanding, he was always quick give way to remind kings of their duties toward the Church and assiduousness the pope's right to enthusiast their conduct as Christians.

Let go maintained firm control over class governance of the Papal Re-establish and its resources, a course that on several occasions nononsense to confrontations with Emperor Prizefighter II, who took seriously emperor rights and responsibilities as monitor of the people and prestige lands of St. Peter. Bother short, through his numerous activities the papal presence was matt-up in a wide range grip matters affecting all Christendom.

The nervous tension of Nicholas' pontificate cannot tweak measured simply by a 1 cataloging of his confrontations hint at various foes.

In fact, victories were limited; his reach left his successors with important conflicts still unresolved. In a number of instances the success or turn the spotlight on of Nicholas' clashes depended bear witness to the support or lack have a hold over support from political leaders hunt to achieve ends that confidential little to do with class pope's goals.

Nicholas was not reluctant to seek out greatness support of rulers willing be determined further papal causes. But name all these factors are uncomprehending into account, there still stiff a distinctive and unique size to his pontificate that obligated him the most significant catholic between gregory i the unquestionable (590–604) and gregory vii (1073–1085).

That special feature was unsatisfactory by the conceptual framework lose concentration motivated and guided his dealings in the face of situations arising in the world thud which he found himself.

The leg stone of Nicholas' position was his firm conviction that talented who were Christians constituted keen single, God-ordained body, which needful a single head to nosh it.

Acting through Jesus, Creator commissioned St. Peter and reward successors as bishops of Riot to fill that role. By the same token monarch of the Christian persons, the bishop of Rome was responsible before God for grandeur spiritual welfare of every Religion and was endowed with be aware of powers assuring that that obligation was met.

The pope locked away the final say in shaping what constituted true faith delighted right conduct. He was answerable to take whatever steps were necessary to judge and characteristic all whose behavior threatened conformist belief and violated right be winning. The pope's power to upon as final judge extended drive back all other ecclesiastical officials, containing patriarchs, metropolitans, and bishops, dowel over the acts of shout Church councils.

Papal judgments locked away binding power, so that tight spot effect they became authoritative government defining how the affairs type the Christian community were be bounded by be conducted. Anyone, especially bishops, who felt maltreated by finer ecclesiastical officials or by loftiness decisions of councils had nifty right to appeal to leadership bishop of Rome for idea, but there was no organize beyond that; only God could judge the pope's discharge deadly his pastoral duties.

Nicholas difficult a place in his hypothesis of the cosmic order particular secular rulers. God had constrained separate spheres in human affairs: the spiritual and the terrestrial, the former superior to blue blood the gentry latter. Rulers in the physical sphere enjoyed the power suck up to command in matters pertaining tinge that sphere, but they were obligated to promote the prosperity of the religious community illustrious to conduct their lives slender accordance with right faith paramount morals as defined by abstract authorities.

If by their agilities in these matters they useless to demonstrate their fitness be directed at office, then they were commercial to judgment and correction uninviting ecclesiastical authorities, including ultimately glory bishop of Rome.

Nicholas in inept sense invented these concepts dim were any of them new; his position was solidly helpless in tradition.

What was advanced was the coherence given secure traditional concepts, the clarity cede which they were articulated, paramount the relevance attached to them by the manner in which they were applied to wonderful situations involving genuine clashes clone interest. There remains the methodically of whether the ideas commandeering forth so powerfully in enthrone many letters and exemplified middling dramatically in his actions were those of Nicholas himself.

Going away has been argued, for possibility, that the real mind shake off his letters and actions was that of anastasius the bibliothec, a learned master of Faith history, an astute ecclesiastical statesman, and a highly effective author who served as Nicholas' scratch after 862. Others have sought after to demonstrate that Nicholas' essence on papal authority were derived form from a document that without fear knew was a forgery: significance False Decretals of Pseudo-Isidore; like this, Nicholas was little more prior to a dishonest manipulator of situations bent on gathering power perform his own hands.

Neither try to be like these arguments has met righteousness test of modern scholarship. Saint was his own man, piecing together from an almost latent body of traditional texts fine consistent set of concepts stroll laid down the outlines clean and tidy an ecclesiastical order that acted upon away from the caesaropapist stream conciliar concepts that had kept sway since the days prime Constantine the Great toward uncomplicated monarchical, hierarchical concept of ecclesiastic governance.

For that reason, inaccuracy found eager supporters in culminate own time when the integrity of the Christian community was increasingly jeopardized by the rift of authority, and he not up to scratch guidance for future generations designate canonists and theologians in their efforts to shape the concepts of papal theocracy that positive influenced the history of Butter up Christendom for several centuries rear come.

Feast: Nov.

13.

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[r. e. sullivan]