Franciscan Popes - Part 5
(An excerpt from a presentation by friar Joseph Wood OFM Conv.
Read the introduction to this series
Read Part 2 of the the series: Pope Gregory XI?
Part 3: Pope Nicholas IV
Part 4: Pope Alexander V)
Another friar became a pope, Nicholas V , between 1328-1330. But this friar, Pietro Rainalducci (1258-1333), was not a legitimately elected pope as was Pope Alexander V (by a council/conclave of Cardinals). Pietro was probably a member of the Fraticelli, many of whom had joined the renegade Minister General, Michael of Cesena, who had sided with Louis IV of Bavaria against the reigning Pope John XXII.
Louis IV continued conquering many factions to get to his position and finally marched into Rome and named a loyal friar as pope who crowned him Holy Roman Emperor in 1328 (Pope John XXII never confirmed this coronation and had earlier excommunicated Louis.)
Pope John excommunicated Pietro in April 1329. Pietro sought refuge wherever he could find it but finally confessed his sins to Pope John in Avignon on August 25, 1330. Pope John absolved him but also fraternally imprisoned him until his death in Oct. 1333.
Next in the series is Pope Sixtus IV.
