Pope Benedict XII
Pope Benedict XII (, , ; 1285 – 25 April 1342), born
Jacques Fournier, was a cardinal and inquisitor, and later, head of the
Catholic Church from 30 December 1334 to his death, in April 1342. He was the third
Avignon pope and reformed monastic orders and opposed
nepotism. Unable to remove his capital to Rome or Bologna, Benedict started the great palace at Avignon. He settled the
beatific vision controversy of
Pope John XXII}} with the bull ''Benedictus Deus'', which stated that souls may attain the "fullness of the
beatific vision" before the
Last Judgment. Despite many diplomatic attempts with
Emperor Louis IV to resolve their differences, Benedict failed to bring the Holy Roman Empire back under papal dominance. He died 25 April 1342 and was buried in Avignon.
Provided by Wikipedia
