Pope Gregory VIII

:"Not to be confused with the earlier Antipope Gregory VIII"Infobox Pope
English name=Gregory VIII


birth_name=Alberto di Morra
term_start=October 25, 1187
term_end=December 17, 1187
predecessor=Urban III
successor=Clement III
birth_date=c. 1100/1105
birthplace=Benevento, Italy
dead=dead|death_date=death date|1187|12|17|mf=y
deathplace=Pisa, Italy
other=Gregory

Pope Gregory VIII (c. 1100/1105, Benevento, Italy–December 17, 1187, Pisa, Italy), born Alberto di Morra, was Pope from October 25, 1187 until his death.

Gregory VIII was a well-educated Beneventan noble who became a Cistercian monk in Laon at a young age. With the establishment of the Premonstratensians in 1120 he became a member of that order, and is considered the only Premonstratensian Pope.

Pope Adrian IV created him cardinal-deacon of S. Adriano in December 1155 (or in 1156) and later promoted him to the rank of cardinal-priest of S. Lorenzo in Lucina (1158). He subscribed the papal bulls between April 5, 1157 and October 13, 1187. He supported the obedience of Pope Alexander III against the claims of Antipope Victor IV (1159-1164) and his successors. Under this pope he became Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church (February 1178).

In 1172 he attended the council of Avranches as papal legate, which absolved Henry II of England (1154–1189) from the guilt of the murder of Thomas Becket (1118–1170).

He was consecrated as Pope in place of Pope Urban III (1185–1187) on October 25, 1187. His first act as Pope was to issue the papal bull "Audita tremendi", which called for the Third Crusade in response to the Battle of Hattin earlier that year. Jerusalem itself had fallen in October, but news of this had not yet reached the Pope. Gregory VIII did not live to see the crusade, as he died of fever that same year. Pope Clement III (1187–1191) was his successor.

ee also

*Papal election, October 1187