On the death of Pope Sergius IV in June, 1012, "a certain Gregory" opposed the party of the Theophylae (which elected Pope Benedict VIII against him), and got himself made Pope, seemingly by a small faction. Gregory VI was the first to claim to be Pope as successor to Pope Sergius, and that Benedict VIII's claim was subsequent.
Promptly expelled from Rome, Gregory made his way to Germany, and craved the support of the Emperor St. Henry II (25 Dec., 1012). That monarch, however, after promising him that his case should be carefully examined in accordance with canon law and Roman custom, took away from him the papal insignia which he was wearing, and bade him cease to act as Pope in the meanwhile. After this, history knows the "certain Gregory" no more.
Of Benedict VIII, the Catholic Encyclopedia says:
- "...he was, though a layman, imposed on the chair of Peter by force, on May 18, 1012. Nevertheless, dislodging a rival, he became a good and strong ruler...."
Famous quotes containing the words gregory vi and/or gregory:
“Who does not know that kings and rulers sprang from men who were ignorant of God, who assumed because of blind greed and intolerable presumption to make themselves masters of other men, their equals, by means of pride, violence, bad faith, murder, and almost every other kind of crime? Surely the devil drove them on.”
—Pope Gregory VII (c. 1020–1085)
“Well, there’s no one at all, they do be saying, but is deserving of some punishment from the very minute of his birth.”
—Augusta, Lady Gregory (1859–1932)