Pope Blessed Urban V

Biography

Pope Blessed Urban V, also known as Guillaume de Grimoard or Urbanus V, was born in 1310 in Grizac Castle, in the region of Languedoc, France. He hailed from a noble family, being one of four children of Guillaume de Grimoard, Lord of Bellegarde, and Amphélise de Montferrand. Urban's brother later became a cardinal and papal legate. In 1327, Urban entered the Benedictine monastery at the priory of Chirac in France. He was ordained as a priest at the Chirac monastery in 1334. Urban's thirst for knowledge led him to pursue studies in literature and law at Montpellier and then law at the University of Toulouse, where he obtained a doctorate in Canon Law on October 31, 1342. He gained a reputation as one of the most learned men of his time. Urban's career in the Church began to flourish when he was appointed Prior of Nôtre-Dame du Pré in the diocese of Auxerre by Pope Clement VI. He later became the Abbot of Saint-Germain en Auxerre monastery on February 13, 1352. Urban served as the Benedictine Procurator-General at the Papal court and taught canon law in cities such as Montpellier, Paris, and Avignon. Throughout his life, Urban held various positions of authority within the Church. He served as the Vicar-General of the dioceses of Clermont and Uzès in France. Additionally, he was appointed as a papal legate in Italy multiple times and served as the Apostolic Nuncio in Italy. Urban's deep knowledge of canon law, his dedication to his priestly duties, and his diplomatic skills made him a valuable advisor to Pope Innocent VI. In 1361, Urban became the Abbot of the prestigious Abbey of Saint Victor in Marseille, France. During his time there, he focused on restoring churches and monasteries, overcoming various challenges such as financial difficulties and lax discipline. Urban tackled issues within the Church, including absentee bishops, bishops with multiple dioceses, and simony (the buying and selling of spiritual goods). One of Urban's significant accomplishments was the re-establishment of the papacy in Rome. He was the sixth pope of the Avignon Papacy and took the name Urban, believing that all the previous popes with that name had been saints. Responding to the pleas of Saint Bridget of Sweden and Saint Catherine of Siena, Urban moved his court back to Rome in October 1367. His arrival was met with great enthusiasm from the Roman citizens and clergy. While in Rome, Urban discovered the relics of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the papal chapel of the Lateran basilica. To honor these sacred relics, new reliquaries were created, and the relics were enshrined. However, outbreaks of plague and violence in the city led Urban to return to Avignon, in modern-day France, in September 1370. Shortly after his arrival, he fell ill, and his health rapidly deteriorated. Pope Blessed Urban V died on December 19, 1370, in Avignon, of natural causes. His remains were initially interred in the chapel of John XXII in the cathedral of Sante Marie de Domps in Avignon. However, on May 31, 1371, his relics were moved to the abbey church of Saint-Victor in Marseille, where Urban had built a tomb for himself. The cause for Urban's canonization was opened by Pope Gregory XI, and numerous miracles attributed to his intercession were documented. His beatification took place on March 10, 1870, when Pope Pius IX confirmed his cultus. However, the process for his canonization stalled when the papacy returned to Rome, making the cause of an Avignon Pope a low priority. Although Pope Blessed Urban V is not recognized as the patron saint of any specific group, his life and example continue to inspire many in the Catholic Church. His dedication to living a simple life in line with the Benedictine Rule, his efforts to promote scholarship and education, and his steadfast commitment to reform within the Church make him a revered figure in Catholic history.