matt kirkland > designer for hire

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Seventy-first Pope: Severinus - 0 comments

Pope Severinus was also the Potions Master at the Vatican Academy, before his election to the papacy.

ps. The big earthquake in Taiwan has messed up Hong Kong's internet services, so I've had a bit of delay in posts. If all goes well, I'll catch up this weekend.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Seventieth Pope: Honorius I - 1 comments

About fifty years after his death, Honorius I was condemned as a heretic.

Sixty-ninth Pope: Boniface V - 0 comments

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Sixty-eighth Pope: Adeotaus I - 0 comments

Adeodatus was also known as Deusdedit, although I have no idea why.

Sixty-seventh Pope: Boniface IV - 0 comments

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The text around the coin says, "BONIFACIVS IIII PON M." Or, at least, I think so. I like the use of the Roman numeral IIII, by the way.

Sixty-sixth Pope: Boniface III - 0 comments

Boniface III served less than a year before he died, but before that he served as the church's ambassador to Constantinople.

Thursday, December 21, 2006

Sixty-fifth Pope: Sabinian - 1 comments

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

Sixty-fourth Pope: Gregory I - 0 comments

Gregory ("The Great") was a tremendously important pope, serving between 590 and 604 AD. He left important writings, pushed for the primacy of the papacy among the clergy, and increased his political power as well. And in the portrait I drew from today, he's about to be a new roost for a dove.

Sixty-third Pope: Pelagius II - 0 comments

Pelagius II was consecrated as Pope while Rome was under siege by the Lombards. He also urged nearly all ranks of the clergy to celibacy, and turned his house into a hospital for the poor.

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Sixty-second Pope: Benedict I - 0 comments

It's difficult to find portraits that share the same name as the current pope. Really! Try googling Pope Benedict.

Sunday, December 17, 2006

Sixty-first Pope: John III - 0 comments

John III, another Santa lookalike?

Friday, December 15, 2006

Sixtieth Pope: Pelagius I - 0 comments

Fifty-ninth Pope: Vigilius - 0 comments

Vigilius was installed by the Empress Theodora. He had a relatively long run as Pope, from 537-555.

Thursday, December 14, 2006

Fifty-eighth Pope: Silverius - 0 comments

Pope Silverius gained the papacy because his party of electors wanted to stop Monophysitism, the doctrine that Christ had only one nature - instead of the orthodox view that He had both human and divine natures. Sadly, Silverius didn't play the political game well enough.

The current empress of Rome, Theodora, sided with the Monophysites, and orchestrated his overthrow. He was falsely accused of treason, carried out of Rome, and forced to take the vestments of a monk. Vigilius was installed in his place, who we'll meet next time.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Fifty-seventh Pope: Agapetus I - 2 comments

Agapetus is a lucky pope; he's revered as a saint by both the Catholic and the Eastern churches. And as far as these portraits indicate, he's the first pope to wear a really big ring!

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

Fifty-sixth Pope: John II - 0 comments

Don't confuse John II, pope of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, with John II, pope of the Coptic Orthodox church. They served at around the same time, and I imagine they often got each other's mail. Awkward!

Fifty-fifth Pope: Boniface II - 0 comments

Boniface II was the first Germanic Pope. His predecessor, Felix III/IV, nominated him directly, to avoid another pope/antipope controversy.

Friday, December 08, 2006

Fifty-fourth Pope: Felix IV (III) - 0 comments

There's some mixup about what number to call Felix by, because the real Felix III ended up as an anti-pope. In this altarpiece painting, Felix is allegorically presenting the Church to the heavens (or, at least, I think so anyway).

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Fifty-third Pope: John I - 0 comments

John's portrait, one of those eaaarrrly medieval ones, had some major proportion problems, and I've just made them worse. Sorry John!

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

Fifty-second Pope: Hormisdas - 0 comments

Pope St. Hormisdas is the patron saint of grooms and stableboys.

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Fifty-first Pope: Symmachus - 0 comments

Symmachus had a rough time as Pope, mostly because he was constantly accused of a variety of sins. Ultimately the church decided that there was no human court to try a Pope, and he was allowed to serve out his papacy.

Fiftieth Pope! Anastasius - 0 comments

Anastasius was pals with Augustine of Hippo. That's pretty cool when you first think about it, but then there are the practical questions involved with friendship with a saint. What should you get him for Christmas?