History of the Catholic Church from the Renaissance to the French Revolution — Volume 1MacCaffrey, James
Religion
History of the Catholic Church from the Renaissance to the French Revolution — Volume 1
MacCaffrey, James
Catholic Church -- History -- Modern period, 1500-
The results of this
experiment were so successful that in a short time nunciatures were
established in nearly all the Catholic countries.[3]
Like his predecessor he was determined to continue the war against the
Turks, but the circumstances were unfavourable in France and in the
Empire, while Venice and Spain, the former allies of the Holy See,
concluded peace with the Sultan. In England and Ireland neither by
peaceful measures nor by the expeditions fitted out by him in
connexion with the Desmond Rebellion was he able to achieve any
lasting results. His legates succeeded in inducing John III. of Sweden
to abjure heresy and to return to the bosom of the Catholic Church,
but, unfortunately, the conversion lasted only until political
circumstances demanded another change. In Russia his representatives
arranged a peace with Poland, and put an end for the time to any
active persecution of Catholicism within the Russian dominions.[4] In
all parts of Europe, where Catholic rulers found themselves in
difficulties, subsidies were sent by Gregory XIII. to their
assistance. Charles IX. in France, Philip II. of Spain, Austria, the
Knights of Malta, and the Catholics of England and Ireland shared
largely in his munificence.
He issued a new edition of the Roman Martyrology in 1584, and directed
that it should be used to the exclusion of all others. His predecessor
had appointed a committee of jurists to prepare a revised edition of
the Decrees of Gratian. He had been a member of that commission, and
as Pope he brought the work to a successful conclusion. But the
achievement for which he will be best remembered is undoubtedly the
Gregorian Calendar. The errors of the calendar had been noticed by
many, but how to correct them and prevent them for the future was the
problem that was still unsolved. Gregory XIII. appointed a body of
experts to examine the subject, the most prominent of whom were the
Jesuit Father Clavius and Cardinal Sirleto. The committee had the
advantage of having before them the papers of the Italian scientist,
Lilius, and the suggestions of the Catholic universities. In 1582 the
Gregorian Calendar was published, and was accepted generally in all
the Catholic countries of Europe. But for a long time the Protestant
countries, believing that nothing good could come from Rome, remained
attached to the old style. It was only in 1700 that the Gregorian
Calendar was accepted in Germany and Holland, and at a still later
period (1752) England consented to the change. The following year
Sweden followed suit, and by 1775 the use of the new calendar had
become general outside Russia and the other countries involved in the
Eastern schism, in which the old style is followed till the present
day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account