Monday, May 19, 2025

It is the 19th of May 2025. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

A very happy Monday to you all, wherever and whenever you are… it only takes getting a new Pope for the mailbag to fill up with Pope questions.

Let’s hit some of them in no particular order. Firstly, the Pope: the word comes from the Latin “papa,” which means “father” and was used for bishops around the 6th century, including the bishop of Rome, who was one of the five initial “centers of authority.” By the 9th century, the ‘Pope’ refers almost exclusively to the Bishop of Rome, who, along with the Bishop or Patriarch of Constantinople, are the two remaining of the 5 centers of authority. In 1054, Constantinople and Rome split, giving us two major branches, and then the Reformation made 3.

Let’s make sure we’re on the same page here- so, the Roman Catholic and generally Protestant camps are split, of course, and we can understand the split with Matthew 16 (it’s not the only way, but it’s one way to see the split). Peter confesses that Jesus is the Christ- the promised Messiah, and Jesus says, “Bingo,” and then he has a fun word play with Simon, whom he then calls Peter, which means “Rock,” and he says- On this Rock I’m gonna build my church. The Roman Catholics see this as setting up authority in Peter, or his particular office. Protestants will say- no, “the Rock” is the confession of Jesus as the Christ- and so the church is found wherever Christ is confessed.

Speaking of changing names… with Leo being the new guy (more on that name in a few), you wondered about the frequency of names and reasons behind, and the like… the first Pope to change his name? Peter… come on, he did- but then that line of leaders decides to just keep their names- their “baptismal” names, which would generally be Christian. Until old Mercurius was elected pope in 533, and he thought, “I’m named after a Roman God, I should do something about that,”- and so he renamed himself John II in honor of his predecessor.

In the category of “Renaissance Popes acting poorly,” we have the opposite with Pius II in the 1400s- he chose the name “Pius” not after Pius I but after “Pius Aeneas” from Virgil’s Aeneas

Not long after him, Pope Julius II, the “warrior Pope,” made it clear that he was named Julius II, not in honor of Julius I, the Pope, but rather after Julius Caesar. The salad with the same name has absolutely nothing to do with anything papal or Roman.

My man Mike in Mississippi- fan of the show as well as American Football and Professional Wrestling- told me he has always loved Leo the first- of course, we just got Leo the 14th and all these numbers cry out for some kind of ranking. Ok- Top 5 Leos, not counting the new one who seems nice, but as a White Sox fan, he comes in with a built-in deficit.

So- it’s Leo IX isn’t here- he stood up against some bad stuff, but he’s in the chair when the East and West officially split in 1054. The next time there is a Leo? 1513- he’s on the chair in 1517 when the Reformation begins- so Leo XIV, be careful!

Here we go:

#5- Pope Leo IV- good enough, helped defend the city of Rome with walls- the famous “Leonine Walls”.

#4 Pope Leo II, he’s there 682-683, opposes heresy, promotes music, and has positive relationships with the Eastern church.

#3 It’s Leo III at 3- he was the Pope in 800, as in, Charlemagne was crowned by the Pope on Christmas Day in 800- yeah, that Pope with the most significant event in church state relations since the conversion of Constantine.

#2 It’s Leo XIII- it’s been suggested that Pope Leo XIV is invoking this pope, who in the late 19th century stood up to the abuses of the Industrial Revolution and was considered by some “the Workers' Pope”. Interestingly, he also condemned “Americanism” understood as a subversion of Catholic belief to cultural identity.

And number 1? Pope Leo I with a bullet. He’s one of the official “the Greats”- he’s a dog theologically defending the two natures of Christ and then protects the city by personally, and without arms, going out to meet Atilla the Hun and he so impressed Atilla that he spared the city. And then three years later he does it again with the head of the Vandals. If there was ever a “Protestant Ranks the Popes” show… or bracket, sweet 16 style?  

Send me your questions at danv@1517.org. 

 

The Last word for today comes from the daily lectionary and the very short Psalm 133:

How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity!

It is like precious oil poured on the head,

    running down on the beard,


running down on Aaron’s beard,

    down on the collar of his robe.

It is as if the dew of Hermon

    were falling on Mount Zion.


For there the Lord bestows his blessing,

    even life forevermore.

 

 

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 19th of May 2025 brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man who exclusively uses dew of Hermon Precious Beard Oil, brought to you by Mt. Zion. He is Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who deleted an earlier reference to new Pope Leo as Pope Shoeless Joe… Dan van Voorhis.

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.