Pope Gregory XIII

. Gregory XIII ( January 7, 1502 in Bologna *, † April 10, 1585 in Rome) whose real name is Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585.

Gregory XIII. occurred in 1539 in the service of the Church. In 1558 he became Bishop of Vieste and 1565 Cardinal. On May 13, 1572, he was elected in the conclave in less than 24 hours to the Pope. The Pope name that was already out of use 150 years, he chose because he had been raised on the feast day of St. Gregory I. cardinal. Gregory XIII. promoted science and education, reformed the calendar, tried to regain lost territories of the Papal States and was one of the central figures of the Counter-Reformation. In his pontificate, the St. Bartholomew's Day falls in France, which he particularly welcomed.

Rosenkranzfesttag

On the first anniversary of the Muslim defeat 7th October 1571 at the Battle of Lepanto in 1572 he established the Feast of the Rosary.

Vatican Observatory

To put its scientific advisory board for a calendar reform in a position to prepare the reform and to check he had in 1578 a tower for astronomical observations build ( Tower of the Winds ) and thus founded the still existing Vatican Observatory.

Calendar reform

He is known today mainly because of going back to him calendar reform, which he issued after today's date on February 24, 1582 with his bull Inter gravissimas and which is still valid today as Gregorian calendar.

It was essentially a matter of ensuring that the measured year the astronomical really corresponded. The Spring Day and Night Same (primary equinox ) should fall back to March 21, as it had been defined by the Council of Nicaea in 325. Until 1582 was the ( after Julius Caesar named ) " Julian calendar ," the eleven minutes and fourteen seconds was compared to the actual length of the year too long. View all 128 years, summed these constant small error to a full day.

Gregor now had to modify the four-year periodicity of leap years: Among the years, with each of which a century came to an end ( years like 1300, 1400 or 1500 ) should only be those leap years, which could be divided by 400 ( years such as 1600, 2000, 2400 and so on ). This means that 400 years in the Gregorian calendar three days shorter than the Julian.

The extra ten days 've been accrued since the Council of Nicaea, Gregory could be removed from the calendar, so that on Thursday, October 4, 1582 immediately Friday, October 15 followed ( 5 Oktoberjul. / October 15 1582greg. ).

Pontifical Gregorian University

1551 taught Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits, the first school of the Jesuits, the Collegio Romano was called. This college enjoyed great popularity and in 1584 by Pope Gregory XIII. reopened elsewhere in the city and particularly encouraged. In his honor, was the Collegio Romano in 1873 by Pope Pius IX. Pontificia Universitas Gregoriana the title ( Pontifical Gregorian University ) awarded.

Others

Gregory XIII. had - from his vorpäpstlichen time - an illegitimate son, Giacomo Boncompagni, who was legitimized on August 26, 1572 ( See Boncompagni Ludovisi - ).