Why were there three popes at the same time? - Joëlle Rollo-Koster

譯者: Roanna Cheung 審譯者: Helen Chang

For almost two millennia, the Pope has been a figure

將近兩千年以來 在天主教徒心目中

of supreme spiritual authority for Catholics around the world.

教宗都是至高無上的屬靈領袖

But in the late 14th century, Catholics found themselves

但是在十四世紀末 天主教徒發現

with not one, not two, but three popes.

他們不只有一個或兩個 而是有三個教宗

Where did this plethora of popes come from?

這麽多的教宗是從哪兒來的呢？

And who among them was the genuine article?

當中哪一個才是貨真價實的教宗？

The origins of this papal predicament began in 1296,

這場教宗風波源於 1296 年

when France’s King Philip IV decided to raise taxes on the Church.

當時法王腓力四世決定 向教會增稅

Given the clergy’s political power,

由於神職人員的政治勢力龐大

this offended Pope Boniface VIII, leading him to write the “Unam Sanctam”:

此舉冒犯了教宗鮑尼法斯八世 他因此寫下《獨一至聖》詔書

a radical decree asserting the Pope’s total supremacy over earthly rulers.

宣揚其凌駕於 國王之上的絕對主權

But King Philip struck back.

但腓力四世回擊

He declared Boniface a heretic and tried to have him arrested in a violent raid.

他宣稱鮑尼法斯為異教徒 並試圖發起暴力突襲將之逮捕

Boniface survived the assault, but died soon after.

鮑尼法斯逃過一劫 但不久後就去世了

And following a short-lived successor, Pope Clement V was elected in 1305.

在一名短暫的繼任者之後 1305 年克勉五世當選爲教宗

A French diplomat seeking peace in the war between England and his homeland,

他是一位法蘭西的外交家 在祖國和英格蘭的戰爭中尋求和平

Clement wanted to stay close to the conflict

克勉五世希望密切留意戰爭發展

and escape the demands of Rome.

並避開來自羅馬的壓力

So in 1309, he moved the seat of the papacy to Avignon—

因此在 1309 年把聖座遷到亞維農

a city close to France but owned by a vassal of the Church.

這個城市離法蘭西很近 卻屬教廷的附庸國所有

The papacy remained here for the terms of seven popes

有七名教宗在任内留在亞維農

until the reigning Pope finally returned to Italy in 1376.

直到 1376 年，在任的教宗 最終重返意大利

But just several months after his arrival, he suddenly died.

然而就在他回來幾個月後 他就突然去世了

This shocking development meant a new pope had to be elected immediately—

這樣驚人的發展 意味著必須馬上選出新的教宗

and in Rome, where there hadn’t been a papal election in over 70 years.

而在羅馬已經有超過 70 年 沒有選過教宗了

The Romans were determined to elect one of their own

羅馬人執意要選自己人當教宗

and restore Rome as the seat of Western Christendom.

讓羅馬重新成爲 西方基督教世界的中心

Local officials pressured cardinals to choose an Italian pope,

當地官員向樞機主教施壓 讓他們選出意大利籍的教宗

while rowdy mobs raided the conclave and plundered the papal wine cellar.

同時一群暴徒闖入教宗選舉會議 對教宗的酒窖大肆掠奪

Amidst this chaos, the cardinals elected the Neapolitan Archbishop of Bari

在混亂中，樞機主教選出 拿坡里巴里的大主教

to become Pope Urban VI.

成爲教宗烏爾巴諾六世

Initially, Urban was seen as a safe choice.

最初烏爾巴諾被視爲安全的人選

But he quickly proved to be a reformer who sought to limit the cardinal’s finances.

但是很快他就顯露出改革家的本質 試圖限制樞機主教的開銷

Desperate to maintain their luxurious lifestyles,

樞機主教急著 想保住奢華的生活方式

the cardinals declared the recent election illegitimate,

便宣佈最近的教宗選舉 是在羅馬暴民施壓下進行的

since it was decided under pressure from the Roman mob.

因此選舉結果不合法

They denounced Urban as a usurper

他們譴責烏爾巴諾為篡位者

and held a new conclave to elect Pope Clement VII.

又舉行了選舉會議 選出克勉七世為教宗

Clement attempted to excommunicate Urban,

克勉試圖開除烏爾巴諾的教籍

but he refused to recognize the authority of Clement

但是烏爾巴諾拒絕承認克勉的主權

or his greedy cardinals.

也不承認他手下貪婪的 樞機主教的主權

Urban named new cardinals to his court and entrenched himself in Rome

烏爾巴諾在自己的教廷 任命了新的樞機主教

在羅馬立穩了根基

while Clement and his supporters returned to Avignon.

而克勉和其支持者則回到了亞維農

The schism had officially begun.

分裂正式開始了

Western Christendom now had two capitals, Avignon and Rome,

西方的基督教世界現在 有了兩個首府：亞維農和羅馬

each with their own Pope and court of cardinals.

那裏各自有各自的教宗 和樞機主教組成的教廷

As popes from each line died, their cardinals appointed successors,

每邊的教宗去世以後 樞機主教就各自選出繼任者

continuing the crisis for decades.

讓這場風波持續了幾十年

This strange situation didn't impact most ordinary Catholics,

這種奇特的狀況 對大部分平信徒並未造成影響

as there were no significant doctrinal splits.

原因是當中沒有教義上的重大分歧

Instead, the drama played out in the diplomatic realm.

這場戲反而是在外交舞臺上演的

European rulers were forced to choose sides,

歐洲的統治者被迫選邊站隊

as both popes vied for spiritual and political supremacy.

而兩邊的教宗都在為 宗教和政治主權角力

Only a pope had the authority to call a general council

只有一名教宗有權召開全體大會

to officially resolve the issue,

來正式解決這個問題

and both sides refused to take this step.

而雙方都不願意邁出這一步

So in 1409, a group of cardinals from France and Rome

因此在 1409 年 一群來自法蘭西和羅馬的樞機主教

took matters into their own hands.

親自採取行動

They claimed that since both popes were disputed,

他們聲稱既然兩名教宗都有爭議

cardinals did have the right to call a council.

樞機主教有權召開全體大會

And at their gathering these cardinals deposed the pretenders

在這次會議中樞機主教 罷免了那些冒牌貨

and elected a new Pope.

選出了新的教宗

Unfortunately, both Avignon’s Pope and Rome’s Pope

不幸的是，亞維農和羅馬的兩名教宗

refused to recognize this council.

都拒絕承認這次會議的合法性

So instead of solving the crisis, the number of popes rose to three.

因此問題沒有解決 反而教宗人數增加到三名

This unusual arrangement lasted five more years,

這樣不尋常的局面又持續了五年

until the Council of Constance in 1417.

直到 1417 年的康士坦斯大公會議

Here, the popes from the Roman line and recently created third line resigned

在這次會議中，羅馬的教宗

和新成立的教宗紛紛離職

and agreed to unite the church under a new Pope—

並同意在新任教宗的領導下統一教會

Martin V.

那就是瑪定五世

Undisputed, Martin swiftly excommunicated the only person still against him—

在沒有異議的情況下 瑪定迅速開除了唯一反對者的教籍

the Pope of Avignon—

那就是亞維農的教宗

and finally ended the schism after 39 years.

最終結束了這場為時 39 年的分裂

Today, the church’s official records say the Roman Line

今天教會的正式記錄中表明

was always the true papal power.

羅馬教廷一直都是教會正統

But regardless of how the schism ended,

但是無論這場分裂是如何落幕的

its existence proves that even those who are supposed to be pious

當初有過分裂，就證明 那些理應虔誠的宗教領袖

are prone to petty power struggles.

也很容易爲了小事就勾心鬥角