IMC 2015: Sessions

One pivotal event in the history of the Church is the Reform(s) that took place during the 11th/12th century and the resulting transformation from a horizontal institution into a vertical one, with the pope as its apex. This session’s purpose is to throw light on the papacy of the early 12th century, a particular period of time in which many changes happened, in particular a renewed (although weak) peace with the Emperor and a huge Schism in the whole church, although they did not put an end to the reforms (even though an old historiographical theory, which sometimes is still used by scholars, has seen this period as 'Das Ende des Reformpapsttums'). The three papers will consider different aspects of the 12th-century papacy, in order to present an all-around picture of these popes and their reforms: Prof. Mary Stroll will examine the papacy of Honorius II and how his death led to the papal Schism of 1130-1138; Dr Giulio Del Buono the relationship between pope Gelasius II and the Roman family of the Caetani; Nicola Naccari will consider the relationship between Rome and Constantinople and how the early 12th-century papacy has presented the primacy of the bishop of Rome to the Eastern churches; Enrico Veneziani will discuss the relationship between pope Honorius II and St Peter, and how it might influence the study of his ecclesiology and if it is still possible to rely on the theory of the end of the reform papacy .