Pope Pelagius II facts for kids

Pope Pelagius II was an important leader of the Catholic Church. He served as the bishop of Rome, also known as the Pope, from November 26, 579, until his death on February 7, 590. He faced many challenges during his time, including wars and a terrible plague.

Early Life and Becoming Pope

Pelagius was born in Rome, the capital city of Italy. His father's name was Winigild, which suggests his family might have been of Ostrogothic descent. The Ostrogoths were a Germanic people who lived in Italy around that time.

Pelagius became the Pope after Benedict I. He was chosen on November 26, 579. At this time, it was common for the emperor to approve a new Pope. However, Pelagius became Pope without waiting for the emperor's official approval.

Challenges and Decisions

Dealing with Invaders

During Pelagius II's time, Italy was facing many attacks. The Lombards, another Germanic group, were invading the country. Pelagius asked Emperor Maurice for help to stop them. Unfortunately, the emperor could not send aid.

Because of this, Pelagius had to make a difficult choice. He "bought" a temporary peace with the Lombards. This meant paying them to stop fighting for a while. He also asked the Franks, a powerful group from what is now France, to invade Italy and help. The Franks did invade, but they soon left after the Lombards offered them money.

Church Rules and Unity

Pope Pelagius II worked hard to promote clerical celibacy. This is the rule that priests should not marry. He made very strict rules about this matter.

During his time, some parts of the Church were not in full agreement with Rome. The bishop of Milan, a major city in Italy, had been separated from Rome. Around the year 581, the Milanese church returned to full agreement with Rome. However, some other bishops in Northern Italy remained separated.

Building and Conflicts

Pelagius ordered the building of a special church called the Basilica di San Lorenzo fuori le Mura. This church was built as a shrine over the place where Saint Lawrence was martyred.

He also saw a positive change when the Visigoths, who lived in Spain, converted to Catholicism. However, Pelagius also had disagreements with the Church in Constantinople. This was because the leader in Constantinople started using the title "Ecumenical Patriarch." Pelagius believed this title made it seem like the leader in Constantinople had more authority than the Pope, which he felt was wrong.

End of His Papacy

Pope Pelagius II died on February 7, 590. He was a victim of a terrible plague that spread through Rome at the end of 590. His successor, Gregory I, later changed some of Pelagius's strict rules about priests not marrying.

See also

In Spanish: Pelagio II para niños