Papal Tombs and Monuments (1447-1559) Part III

Pope Pius II

Enea Silvio Cardinal Piccolomini, Cardinal Priest of Santa Sabina, Bishop of Siena and of Ermland, Writer of Apostolic Briefs. Elected Bishop of Rome on 19 August 1458 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Pius II, and was crowned on 3 September.

Pope Pius II died on 14 August 1464 in Ancona, in the 6th year of his pontificate. He was buried in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred to the basilica of Sant'Andrea della Valle, Rome, in the reign of Pope Paul V.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1447-1559) Part II

Pope Callistus III

Alfonso Cardinal de Borja y Cabanilles, Cardinal Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati, Bishop of Valencia. Elected Bishop of Rome on 8 April 1455 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Callistus III, and was crowned on 20 April.

Pope Callistus III died on 6 August 1458 in Rome, in the 4th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 16 August in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred on 30 January 1610 to the church of Santa Maria di Monserrato, Rome.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1447-1559) Part I

Pope Nicholas V

Tommaso Cardinal Parentucelli, Cardinal Priest of Santa Susanna, Bishop of Bologna. Elected Bishop of Rome on 6 March 1447 in the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome, taking the name Nicholas V, and was crowned on 9 March.

Pope Nicholas V died on 24 March 1455 in Rome, in the 9th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 3 April in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred to the Grottoes of the same basilica in the reign of Pope Paul V.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part XIII

Pope Innocent X

His Eminence Giovanni Battista Cardinal Pamphilj, Cardinal Priest of Sant'Eusebio, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of the Tridentine Council. Elected Bishop of Rome on 15 September 1644 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Innocent X, and was crowned on 4 October.

Pope Innocent X died on 7 January 1655 in Rome, in the 11th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 8 January in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were later transferred to the basilica of Sant'Agnese in Agone, Rome.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part XII

Pope Urban VIII

Maffeo Cardinal Barberini, Cardinal Priest of Sant'Onofrio, former Bishop of Spoleto with the title of Archbishop ad personam, Prefect of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Justice, Camerlengo of the Sacred College. Elected Bishop of Rome on 6 August 1623 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Urban VIII, and was crowned on 29 September.

Pope Urban VIII died on 29 July 1644 in Rome, in the 21st year of his pontificate. He was buried on 31 July in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part XI

Pope Gregory XV

Alessandro Cardinal Ludovisi, Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria in Traspontina, Archbishop of Bologna. Elected Bishop of Rome on 9 February 1621 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Gregory XV, and was crowned on 14 February.

Pope Gregory XV died on 8 July 1623 in Rome, in the 3rd year of his pontificate. He was buried on 9 July in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, his mortal remains were transferred on 13 June 1634 to the Collegio Romano, and were afterward buried in the church of Sant'Ignazio di Loyola a Campo Marzio, Rome.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part X

Pope Paul V

Camillo Cardinal Borghese, Cardinal Priest of San Crisogono, former Bishop of Jesi, Vicar General of His Holiness for the City of Rome, Secretary of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Elected Bishop of Rome on 16 May 1605 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Paul V, and was crowned on 29 May.

Pope Paul V died on 28 January 1621 in Rome, in the 16th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 7 February in the Patriarchal Liberian Basilica.

Facade of San Pietro in Vaticano, completed during the reign of Pope Paul V and to whom the dedication makes reference.

(H/T to The Cafeteria is Closed).

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part IX

Pope Leo XI

Alessandro Ottaviano Cardinal de' Medici, Cardinal Bishop of Palestrina, Archbishop of Florence, Prefect of the Sacred Congregation of Bishops and Regulars. Elected Bishop of Rome on 1 April 1605 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Leo XI, and was crowned on 10 April.

Pope Leo XI died on 27 April 1605 in Rome, in the 1st year of his pontificate. He was buried on 30 April in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part VIII

Pope Clement VIII

Ippolito Cardinal Aldobrandini, Cardinal Priest of San Pancrazio, Major Penitentiary. Elected Bishop of Rome on 30 January 1592 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Clement VIII, was consecrated to the episcopate on 2 February and crowned on 9 February.

Pope Clement VIII died on 3 March 1605 in Rome, in the 14th year of his pontificate. He was buried in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred in 1646 to the Patriarchal Liberian Basilica.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part VII

Pope Innocent IX

Giovanni Antonio Cardinal Facchinetti de Nuce, Cardinal Priest of Santi Quattri Coronati, Inquisitor General of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Elected Bishop of Rome on 29 October 1591 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Innocent IX, and was crowned on 3 November.

Pope Innocent IX died on 30 December 1591 in Rome, in the 1st year of his pontificate. He was buried in the Grottoes of the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

The Inside Story from the Papal Secretary!

A really interesting interview with the Pope's secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, which was undertaken by Munich newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitun, has been translated by Gerald Augustinus over at The Cafeteria is Closed.

Click HERE for the interview; it's well worth reading.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part VI

Pope Gregory XIV

Niccolò Cardinal Sfondrati, Cardinal Priest of Santa Cecilia, Bishop of Cremona, Patrician of Milan, Count of the Holy Roman Empire, Lord of Vallassina, of Pusiano, of Bosizio. Elected Bishop of Rome on 5 December 1590 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Gregory XIV, and was crowned on 8 December.

Pope Gregory XIV died on 16 October 1591 in Rome, in the 1st year of his pontificate. He was buried on 17 October in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part V

Pope Urban VII

Giovanni Battista Cardinal Castagna, Cardinal Priest of San Marcello, former Archbishop of Rossano, Inquisitor General of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Elected Bishop of Rome on 15 September 1590 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Urban VII.

His Holiness Pope Urban VII died on 27 September 1590 in Rome, before his coronation, in the 1st year of his pontificate. He was buried on 28 September in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred on 21 September 1606 to the basilica of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part IV

Pope Sixtus V

Felice Peretti Cardinal di Montalto, O.F.M.Conv., Cardinal Priest of San Girolamo degli Schiavoni, former Bishop of Fermo. Elected Bishop of Rome on 24 April 1585 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Sixtus V, and was crowned on 1 May.

Pope Sixtus V died on 27 August 1590 in Rome, in the 6th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 29 August in the Patriarchal Liberian Basilica.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part III

Pope Gregory XIII

Ugo Cardinal Boncompagni, Cardinal Priest of San Sisto, former Bishop of Viesti, Prefect of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signature of Grace, Secretary of Apostolic Briefs. Elected Bishop of Rome on 13 May 1572 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Gregory XIII, and was crowned on 25 May.

Pope Gregory XIII died on 10 April 1585 in Rome, in the 13th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 12 April in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica.

A lost Borgia fresco

An interesting story from the BBC's Rome correspondent, David Willey, concerning a fresco that once graced the bedchamber of Pope Alexander VI.

Click HERE for the full story.

Papal Tombs and Monuments (1559-1655) Part II

Pope St Pius V

Antonio Michele Ghislieri, O.P., Cardinal Priest of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Bishop of Mondovì, Grand Inquisitor of the Supreme Sacred Congregation of the Roman and Universal Inquisition. Elected Bishop of Rome on 7 January 1566 in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, taking the name Pius V, and was crowned on 17 January.

Pope Pius V died on 1 May 1572 in Rome, in the 7th year of his pontificate. He was buried on 3 May in the Patriarchal Vatican Basilica, and his mortal remains were transferred on 9 January 1588 to the Chapel of the Most Blessed Sacrament of the Patriarchal Liberian Basilica. He was beatified on 1 May 1672 by Pope Clement X, and was canonized on 22 May 1712 by Pope Clement XI.