See also: Benoit XIV (homonymy), Benoit

Benoît XIV (in Latin Benedictus XIV , in Italian Benedetto XIV ) was Pape of 1740 with 1758. Born Prospero Lambertini with Bologna, the March 31st 1675. Wire of Marcello Lambertini and Lucrezia Bulgarini.

He became bishop of Ancône, then Archevêque of his birthplace before his election, in succession of Clément XII, after six months of Conclave and 254 polls, the August 17th 1740. Legislator of the modern Church, it marked the 18th century by his long pontificate and his open-minded with the Age of Enlightenment. He tried to calm the religious quarrels, to bring back the Greek Church in the bosom of the church, and while confirming the bubble Unigenitus' , softens the rigors which one exerted at the time of this bubble.

One is unaware of often that the Pape Benoît XIV took part in the Révolution copernician by authorizing works on the news Représentation S of the world (Héliocentrisme at that time), and this in two times:

• In 1741, in front of the optical proof of the orbital Trajectory of the Ground, it made give the Imprimatur to the first edition of complete works of Galileo by the the Holy Office. This gesture constituted an implicit revision of the sentences of 1616 and 1633.

• In 1757, the works favorable to the Héliocentrisme were again authorized, by a decree of the Congrégation of the Index, which withdrew these works of the catalogs prohibited books.

Benoît XIV had the theologist Francisco Suárez in great regard.

First mark of relations inter-nuns which will reappear at the XXe century, Benoit XIV wrote a letter for the 7th Dalaï Lama, Kelzang Gyatso which it gives to the father Italian capuchin Orazio Della Penna.

Pontiff, it wrote many works of canonical Droit and developed the teaching of sciences in Rome. Starting from 1746, it continued the reform of the pontifical accounts launched by its predecessor. At the beginning of its reign, it was not shown opposite with the Lights and maintained the relations with Frederic II of Prussia via the scientist Maupertuis. Voltaire dedicated to him in 1745 its tragedy Mahomet , which it accepted on the council of its entourage. In second half of its reign, it showed “ more preserving ”, by renewing the pontifical reserves with regard to the Franc-maçonnerie and by encouraging the preaching of saint Léonard of Port-Maurice. We have an example of his prudence with the case of the child Anderl von Rinn, assassinated by the Jews, claimed one, during a ritual murder: it authorized that one continued his worship but refused to canonize it.

It reformed the Jésuite S of the Portugal. This pope protected arts and industry, as well as the letters which it cultivated itself. He left a great number of works which were published in Bassano in 1788, 15 folio volumes. The principal ones are the treaties of the Beatification , of the Sacrifice of the Mass , the Synodes .

He died the May 3rd 1758, and Clément XIII succeeded to him.

not to confuse with both Antipape S Benoît XIV, which reigned of 1425 with at least 1430.

See too

• Revolution copernician

Source