December 19 + Blessed Pope Urban V

In 1362, the man elected pope declined the office. When the cardinals could not find another person among them for that important office, they turned to a relative stranger: the holy person we honor today.

Pope Urban V was born Guillaume de Grimoard in Grisac, Languedoc. He studied canon law and theology in Avignon and became a Benedictine monk. He was deeply spiritual and brilliant at the same time. He was named abbot of his monastery in 1352, and served as a papal diplomat and was eventually sent as an ambassador to various locations. He served as a bishop around Italy and throughout Europe.

He was elected pope in 1362 while on diplomatic business, even though he was not a cardinal. His papacy was blessed by his peacekeeping activity between the French and Italian kings, the founding of many universities, his zeal for the crusades and his decision to return the papacy to Rome and end the Avignon exile of the popes. He pressed for reform, and saw to the restoration of churches and monasteries. Urban came close, but was not able to achieve one of his biggest goals — reuniting the Eastern and Western churches. He always had a Benedictine spirit, and even wore his monk’s habit as Pope.

The breakout of war between England and France forced him to return to Avignon on a peacekeeping mission. He died on December 19, 1370, shortly after his return to Avignon, and his body, which had been buried in Avignon, was transferred to Marseille according to his own wishes. His tomb became the site of many miracles.

Shortly before his death, he asked to be moved from the papal palace to the nearby home of his brother, so he could say goodbye to the ordinary people he had so often helped. It is said that as he lay dying he called the people to surround his deathbed, saying “the people must see how popes die.”