Pope John XXII

Pope John XXII
Bishop of Rome
Portrait fresco of John XXII, 14th century (Collection of the Palais du Roure, Avignon)
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	7 August 1316
Papacy ended	4 December 1334
Predecessor	Clement V
Successor	Benedict XII
Orders
Created cardinal	23 December 1312 by Clement V
Personal details
Born	Jacques Duèze or d'Euse c. 1244 Cahors, Kingdom of France
Died	4 December 1334(1334-12-04) (aged 89–90) Avignon, Comtat Venaissin, County of Provence
Coat of arms
Other popes named John

Papal styles of Pope John XXII
Reference style	His Holiness
Spoken style	Your Holiness
Religious style	Holy Father
Posthumous style	None

Pope John XXII (Latin: Ioannes PP. XXII; 1244 – 4 December 1334), born Jacques Duèze (or d'Euse), was head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death, in December 1334. He was the second and longest-reigning Avignon Pope, elected by the Conclave of Cardinals, which was assembled in Lyon. Like his predecessor, Clement V, Pope John centralized power and income in the Papacy and lived a princely life in Avignon.

John opposed the policies of Louis IV the Bavarian as Holy Roman Emperor, which prompted Louis to invade Italy and set up an antipope, Nicholas V. John also opposed the Franciscan understanding of the poverty of Christ and his apostles, promulgating multiple papal bulls to enforce his views. This led William of Ockham to write against unlimited papal power.

Following a three-year process, John canonized Thomas Aquinas on 18 July 1323.

One of John’s sermons, on the beatific vision, caused controversy which lasted until he retracted his views just before his death. John died in Avignon on 4 December 1334.