Pope Benedict XV

Pope Benedict XV
Bishop of Rome
Benedict XV in 1915
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	3 September 1914
Papacy ended	22 January 1922
Predecessor	Pius X
Successor	Pius XI
Orders
Ordination	21 December 1878 by Raffaele Monaco La Valletta[1]
Consecration	22 December 1907 by Pope Pius X
Created cardinal	25 May 1914 by Pope Pius X
Personal details
Born	Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa (1854-11-21)21 November 1854 Pegli, Genoa, Kingdom of Sardinia
Died	22 January 1922(1922-01-22) (aged 67) Apostolic Palace, Rome, Kingdom of Italy
Previous post(s)	Undersecretary of State (1901–1907) Archbishop of Bologna (1907–1914) Cardinal-Priest of Santi Quattro Coronati (1914)
Motto	In Te Domine Speravi, Non Confundar In Aeternum (Latin for 'In thee, o Lord, have I trusted: let me not be confounded for evermore')[a][2]
Signature
Coat of arms
Ordination history
History Priestly ordination Ordained by Raffaele Monaco La Valletta Date 21 December 1878 Episcopal consecration Consecrated by Pius X Date 22 December 1907
Episcopal succession Bishops consecrated by Pope Benedict XV as principal consecrator Antonio Lega 21 June 1914 Sebastiano Nicotra 6 January 1917 Pius XII 13 May 1917 Willem Marinus van Rossum 19 May 1918 Ersilio Menzani [it] 25 January 1921 Federico Tedeschini 5 May 1921 Carlo Cremonesi 8 January 1922

Pope Benedict XV (Latin: Benedictus XV; Italian: Benedetto XV), born Giacomo Paolo Giovanni Battista della Chiesa^[b] (Italian: [ˈdʒaːkomo ˈpaːolo dʒoˈvanni batˈtista della ˈkjɛːza]; 21 November 1854 – 22 January 1922), was head of the Catholic Church from 1914 until his death in January 1922. His pontificate was largely overshadowed by World War I and its political, social, and humanitarian consequences in Europe.

Between 1846 and 1903, the Catholic Church had experienced two of its longest pontificates in history up to that point. Together Pius IX and Leo XIII ruled for a total of 57 years. In 1914, the College of Cardinals chose della Chiesa at the relatively young age of 59 at the outbreak of World War I, which he labeled "the suicide of civilized Europe". The war and its consequences were the main focus of Benedict XV. He immediately declared the neutrality of the Holy See and attempted from that perspective to mediate peace in 1916 and 1917. Both sides rejected his initiatives. German Protestants rejected any "Papal Peace" as insulting. The French politician Georges Clemenceau regarded the Vatican initiative as being anti-French.^[3] Having failed with diplomatic initiatives, Benedict XV focused on humanitarian efforts to lessen the impacts of the war, such as attending prisoners of war, the exchange of wounded soldiers and food deliveries to needy populations in Europe. After the war, he repaired the difficult relations with France, which re-established relations with the Vatican in 1921. During his pontificate, relations with Italy improved as well, as Benedict XV now permitted Catholic politicians led by Don Luigi Sturzo to participate in national Italian politics.

In 1917, Benedict XV promulgated the Code of Canon Law, which was released on 27 May, the creation of which he had prepared with Eugenio Pacelli (the future Pope Pius XII) and Pietro Gasparri during the pontificate of Pope Pius X. The new Code of Canon Law is considered to have stimulated religious life and activities throughout the Church.^[4] He named Gasparri to be his Cardinal Secretary of State and personally consecrated Nuncio Pacelli on 13 May 1917 as Archbishop. World War I caused great damage to Catholic missions throughout the world. Benedict XV revitalized these activities, asking in Maximum illud for Catholics throughout the world to participate. For that, he has been referred to as the "Pope of Missions". His last concern was the emerging persecution of the Catholic Church in Soviet Russia and the famine there after the revolution. Benedict XV was devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary and authorized the Feast of Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces.^[5]

After seven years in office, Pope Benedict XV died on 22 January 1922 after battling pneumonia since the start of that month. He was buried in the grottoes of Saint Peter's Basilica. With his diplomatic skills and his openness towards modern society, "he gained respect for himself and the papacy."^[4]

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