Popes Who Appeared in the Bible
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One of the oldest popes, Lucius was a political man as well as a negotiator. Lucius was born around 1097, making him 84 when he ascended to the chair of Peter. Born Ubaldo Allucingoli, he was likely the son of Orlando, a member of a prominent Lucca family.
Little is known of Ubaldo’s early life. He may have been a Cistercian monk. He was first noticed by the Curia when Pope Innocent II named him a cardinal-deacon of San Adriano in late 1138. Only three years later, he was raised to cardinal-priest of Santa Prassede, where he remained until 1158. During that time, he was also a legate to France.
In early 1158, Pope Adrian IV promoted Ubaldo to cardinal-bishop of Ostia, where he remained until his papal election 23 years later. During that time, the cardinal was a legate to Sicily and the dean of cardinals during the papacy of Pope Alexander III. He was privileged to take part in the negotiations for the Treaty of Venice in 1177.
On August 30 1181, Pope Alexander III died after many years on the throne. The cardinals, many of whom were in Velletri to witness the death of the old pope, immediately voted Ubaldo the new pope. He was consecrated six days later, taking the name Lucius III.
Although Pope Alexander spent much of his time in exile, the Romans allowed Lucius access to the city. Their welcome did not last. The republicans were denied benefits and gifts that had been offered in the past to the citizens. By November, Lucius had to leave. His exile lasted his whole papacy. First, he lived in Velletri, then Amagni, south of Rome, and, finally, Verona, in the foothills of the Alps.
There were several problems Pope Lucius had to address. King William of Scotland had argued with Pope Alexander regarding the See of St. Andrew. Alexander had placed an interdict on most of the country to punish the king. After significant negotiations, Pope Lucius lifted all the censures made by his predecessor, raised William’s chaplain, Hugh, to the See of St. Andrew and gave John Scotus the bishopric of Dunkeld, which he famously held for a long time.
The ongoing dispute regarding Countess Matilda’s land had never ended. This exacerbated the disagreeable relationship between the emperor and the pope. The land was in central Italy. Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa wanted it. So did some of her cousins, nobles in their own right. Matilda had planned to leave it to the Church. The emperor proposed the Curia renounce its claim in exchange for a 20% cut of the income from the property, 10% for the pope and 10% for the cardinals. Lucius would not agree in 1182, 1183 or a personal conversation with the emperor in 1184.
Meanwhile, a number of heretical groups, including the Cathars and the Waldensians, were making their voices heard in Western Europe. Persuading them to cease did not work. Lucius decided on a political response. In his “Ad abolendam”, he made it clear that all nobles called upon to join the struggle against heresy were to join or be excommunicated and their territories placed under interdict. The nobles had no choice. At the same time, he sent clergy to southern France to root out the heretics.
Barbarossa wished to regulate the German episcopal elections sponsored by the German anti-popes of a few years before. Lucius said no. Then the emperor wanted his son, Henry of Hohenstaufen to be crowned while Barbarossa was alive to see it. Lucius insisted that two emperors at a time was incorrect. On top of that, the emperor wanted his son, Henry, to marry the daughter of the previous king of Sicily. Lucius saw that as a plan to be surrounded by his enemies. He denied the request. The breach between the pope and the German empire widened.
In November of 1184, the elderly pope called a synod at Verona. There, he condemned heretics and their abettors. Some see this as the first step towards the Inquisition, which was announced fifty years later. He also prevented bishops from ruling over Cistercian houses, showing favor. There was preparation for a third crusade, as requested by King Baldwin of Jerusalem.
Pope Lucius III died 25 November 1185, a very old man, still in exile. He is buried at the cathedral of Verona.
Debra Booton McCoy is a cradle Catholic and is a native of central New York. She works in the health care field and spends her spare time writing and enjoying her family, two grown children, and husband Bob. Growing up through the Vatican II era, she remembers the traditional teaching of the Church and was witness to the changes. For many years Debra was a Catholic on the sidelines, going to Mass every week, but not living the Faith. When she decided to homeschool her son, she found that she had to teach herself what she had forgotten or never learned. That is when she realized her role.
Debra is a published author, having written a column for a women’s monthly newspaper in the mid-1990s. Debra started a Catholic publishing company in 2013, Lanternarius Press. With that, she published her first book in 2014, an edited version of a French book from the 1800s, “A Catholic Mother Speaks to Her Children” by Marie, Countess de Flavigny. This is an advice book for children. She has also edited and published an advice book for young men, "Conferences for Boys" by Fr. Reynauld Kuenhel. For those who like stories of popes, Debra is writing a series, using many of the articles on this site. The first book is History of the Popes, 34AD - 499AD.
You can visit her website at http://lanternariuspress.net or visit Lanternarius Press on Facebook.
