Rome: August 847 AD | Pope Sergius II had been warned that the Arabs might come to raid Rome—not Vikings, who had begun their raids in Europe. Some of the Vikings had raided the outskirts of Constantinople, and some are sticking around in the eastern hills of Europe. They would be called the Rus—their land will years later be part of western Russia.
Sergius, the Bishop of Rome, didn't do much about the warning. He cares more about advancing the buildings of churches in Rome, as the former Pope had been.
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Pope Eugene II (824-827) was chosen by the Franks to be the Pope. This Pope had done little to advance learning. His bishops, sent to Paris at 825 over issues of the icons, messed up hard in their quotations from the Church Fathers, and they understood so little about the rulings of the Second Council of Nicea—the Seventh Ecumenical Council that the Eastern Church and the Roman Church accept.
Upset, Pope Eugene had to hold a council trying to get the clergy to get more knowledge of their Roman faith.
Pope Valentine (827) was so close to Eugene that some suspected he might be a son or even a lover of Eugene. This patrician was elected by the nobles against his will; he died five weeks later!
Pope Gregory IV (827-844) was also elected by the nobles to be Pope. He tried to calm down feelings between the rulers in Charlemagne's empire. When some angry bishops threatened to excommunicate the Roman Bishop and even unseat him, Gregory IV also played rough. "But you ought to have regarded an order from the Apostolic See as not less weighty than one from the Emperor," said the Pope, insisting on Papal supremacy.
But the Frankish bishops, even then, refuse to back down: the equality of all the bishops outweighs the leadership even of the Pope, they reasoned.
Gregory IV could only watch as Charlemagne's empire split apart, despite his attempts to restore peace in this Catholic nation. In the meantime, he helped in improving the land within his borders, the Papal States. He fixed up churches and moved the bodies of some important people into Saint Peter's Church—including that of Gregory the Great.
Gregory IV died early in 844, to be buried also in Saint Peter's Church. His replacement is Sergius II.
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The Arab Muslims have arrived outside Rome, apparently to no one's surprise. Why are they in Italy in the first place? They had started invading Sicily two decades or so ago, and conquered Sicily just four years ago. Now they're closing up to Rome. The Roman militia had to hurry into the walled city of Rome.
The raiders target the churches outside of the Aurelian Walls—hence with lack of protection. That includes Saint Peter's Church and Saint Paul's Church Outside the Walls. They desecrate the churches and intrude on some of the relics there. As if they already have the directions for the most valuable treasures. The Romans hold the Muslims back, keeping them from getting into the Pope's City, and soon the Lombard Duke arrives with his men to drive the Arabs back.
To think: Rome has been sacked again (at least in part). This isn't the first time the city of seven hills has to get victimized like this—and nor will this be the last!
Sergius II, the Pope, couldn't do anything about these Muhammadans. Some believe he hasn't acted wisely with the information given him about the invaders of Sicily. He would die five months later.
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848 AD | Leo IV is the Pope following Sergius II.
ESTÁS LEYENDO
1,260 years of popery
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