Before Pope Benedict XVI resigned. in 2013, He was the last Pope to voluntarily resigned in 1294 Celestine V, real name Pietro Morone. This was stated for TASR by a church historian, a Roman Catholic priest Gabriel Brendza.
Before he became a pope, he was a pious hermit, very weighted throughout Italy, according to Brendza. “Under strange circumstances, the Conclave in 1294 elected him as Peter’s successor. But when he saw that the leadership of the Church was a major problem for him as a 78-year-old, he was making him a big problem, After a five -month pontificate, he read the abdication bull – resignation on 13 December 1294. And thus gave up the office of the Roman Pope, the Roman bishop, Peter’s successor,“Brendza said.
He recalled that something similar happened in the 15th century during the Cost -Council at a time when there were internal schism in the Church and there were up to three popes. “When the Council wanted to remove this schism and choose a single Pope, he abdicated 4 July 1415, the then Pope Gregor XII.that was the Roman Pope. His abdication bull at the Council read the posted and authorized Cardinal. His successor became elected Pope Martin V., ”Brendza added.
