Pope John XXII

Who was Pope John XXII?

Pope John XXII, born Jacques Duèze, was the head of the Catholic Church from 7 August 1316 to his death in 1334. He was the second Avignon Pope, elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by King Louis X's brother Philip, the Count of Poitiers, later King Philip V of France. Like his predecessor, Clement V, he centralized power and income in the Papacy and lived a princely life in Avignon. He opposed the political policies of Louis IV of Bavaria as Holy Roman Emperor, which prompted Louis to invade Italy and set up an antipope, Nicholas V. Pope John XXII faced controversy in theology involving his views on the Beatific Vision, and he opposed the Franciscan understanding of the poverty of Christ and his apostles. He canonized St. Thomas Aquinas.