Pope After Leo Pope Hilarius followed Leo and

Pope After Leo

Pope • Hilarius followed Leo and continued his policies • Simplicius followed him and there was political chaos during his time • Constant tension between Popes and eastern emperors even though technically Italy was in Holy Roman (eastern) Empire • East-West Schism (Not great schism)

Pope • Further complicated by Ostrogoths invasion • This led to 2 Popes: One was eastern empire and one was Ostrogoth • Hormisdas followed as Pope and he ended the schism with Constantinople • Belisarius led an invasion (Justinian was emperor) from east and ran out Ostrogoths from Italy

Pope • Did not help the church in west though because the empire now tried to run the church as it was in the east • The next few Popes were puppets of Justinian • Justinian built Hagia Sophia- “Holy Wisdom” • Byzantine power did not last not in Italy-6 years later the Lombards ran them out • The Popes became responsible for the preservation of the city once this happened

Pope • Pope Benedict died in 579 and the Lombards were threatening the city but Pelagius II kept them away • Since no help was coming from Constantinople, Pelagius II turned to the Franks for help • Gregory was the next Pope and considered one of the greatest Popes

Gregory • He was a Benedictine monk and Pope Benedict made him a deacon (member of his administrative council) • Pelagius II appointed him to court at Constantinople • He returned to Rome 6 years later where he was made Abbott

Gregory • When he returned, the Lombards were threatening to take over all of Italy and not much support from Constantinople or Franks • Flood had destroyed much of food supply • Pope Pelagius died as he became ill by restoring sanitation, burying the dead, and feeding the hungry. Gregory helped him.

Gregory • He did not want to be bishop of Rome and wrote a letter objecting but it was intercepted. He later accepted. • Organized feeding the needy and protecting shipments of wheat from Sicily. Supervised rebuilding of the aqueducts and defense of the city. • Leadership vacuum so he stepped up.

Gregory • He opened direct negotiations with Lombards and secured peace • He preached constantly and promoted clerical celibacy • Helped Spain convert to Nicene orthodoxy • Sent Augustine on mission to England • Intervened in Donatist schism in Africa

Gregory • Also an influential writer and agreed with Augustine in much of his writings • There was some small disturbances between the 2. • Augustine suggested at purgatory and Gregory affirmed it as truth

Gregory • Taught: We offer satisfaction to God through penance. • Those who die in faith without having offered satisfaction for all sins go to purgatory so believers can pray for them • Living can help dead out by offering masses • He believed in mass or communion Christ was sacrificed anew

After Gregory • After Gregory the popes became evil and sinful • Those who refused the eastern orthodox were treated harshly by Constantinople • Disagreement over Christology and Pope Martin was kidnapped and monk Maximus had his tongue cut out along with right hand sent to exile.

Frank alliance • This tension pushed he popes to ally with Franks • Lombards were threatening so Pope Stephen appealed to Pepin and he invaded Italy and drove out Lombards and gave Pope Stephen land • This culminated with Charlemagne being crowned in 800

Arab Conquest • Early in 7 th Century, out of Arabia a conquering force arrives and the Persian empire vanished and much of Roman empire did as well • Muhammad, Arab merchant, had dreams and visions called him to be a prophet and gave him the message according to him. • Message was given by Gabriel according to him • He claimed this was not a new religion but combined with Hebrew prophets and Jesus (prophet) and himself

Islam • The religion had 5 points-5 pillars of Islam • 1. Radical monotheism • 2. Ritual prayer • 3. Zakat-Alms giving-poor has right to wealth of rich-Most controversial • 4. Fasting during Ramadan • 5. Pilgrimage to Mecca or hajj

Arab • Merchants opposed his teachings in Mecca • He formed a community and his followers set out on political and military campaign • He dies in 632 but much of Arabia was in Muslim hands by then • Caliphs-sucessor • In 632 -634 Arabia gained its first military victory of Byzantinia

Conquest • In 635 they took Damascus and in 638 Jerusalem • By 651 they had swept through the Persian empire • Of first 4 caliphs, 3 were assassinated due to inner strife • The struggle between Ali and his rivals still persists today

Strife • The Shiites supported Ali and the Sunni were his rivals • Minor differences theologically but disagreed on successors of Muhammad had to be direct descendants or not • Still advances and Carthage fell in 695 and thus many accepted Islam • By 711 much of Spain had fallen to Islam • In 732, Charles Martel defeats them at Tours ending the first wave of Muslim conquests.

Conquests • Muslims promised those disenfranchised by eastern orthodox would be listened to • Many of ancient Christian communities fell to Muslim rule: Jerusalem, Antioch, Damascus, Alexandria, and Carthage. • Conversion to Christianity was usually harshly punished • A defense for Christianity was viewed as offense against Muhammad and punishable by death

Arab Conquests • Christianity almost disappeared in some areas • Christianity had been mostly in Mediterranean world but now ran north/south to British Isles, Franks, and Italy. • Constantinople was alienated from that group which also led to Charlemagne being crowned

Changes • Muslim conquests brought about changes in Christian beliefs • Many 1 st century Christians were not for fighting • Islam brought a constant threat that needed to be fought back • Just War Theory • This helped lead to the Crusades a few centuries later which was bad for Christianity