Celestine V (1214–1296)

Biography

Finally they decided to choose an 80-year-old monk, Pietro Celestino, whom many already venerated as a saint, who obediently accepted and was consecrated bishop of Rome with the name of Celestine V. His first decisions were disastrous, he saw good intentions in everyone and he became entangled with the issues that were presented to him. Realizing his incapacity, after 6 months he abdicated and was succeeded by Cardinal Gaetani under the name Boniface VIII. The new Pope, fearing a schism, had him confined in the castle of Fumone (“The only thing I wanted in this world was a cell, and they gave me a cell”) where he died ten months later. This man sanctified his failure in his life.