Blessed Pope Innocent XI
His Eminence Benedetto Cardinal Odescalchi, Cardinal Priest of Sant'Onofrio, former Bishop of Novara. Elected Bishop of Rome on 21 September 1676 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Innocent XI.
Pope Innocent XI died on 12 August 1689 in Rome. He was buried on 16 August in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred on 26 July 1701 to the Grottoes of the same basilica. The diocesan process for his canonization was initiated on 11 April 1691, his heroic virtues were proclaimed on 15 November 1955 by Pope Pius XII, and he was beatified on 7 October 1956 by the same Roman Pontiff. His mortal remains were afterwards transferred to the altar of the Chapel of St. Sebastian of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.
1 comment:
I remember seeing this monument to Innocent XI at St. Peter's in 1997 and it is a very impressive statue of this greatest pope of the 17th century. He wore the papal vestments of his predecessors to reduce Vatican expenditures, stood courageously against Louis XIV preventing the formation of a French national church, and united Christian Europe against the Ottoman Turks invading Vienna. His heroic life has been chronicled by many scholars including Professor Raymond Maras and provide ample testimony to why we venerate this great man as Blessed Innocent XI. Byron Hoover
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