(c. 1310 – 19 December 1370)
Feast Day: December 19
Title: Pope, Confessor, Benedictine Monk
Beatified: March 10, 1870 by Pope Pius IX
Early Life and Formation
Blessed Urban V was born Guillaume (William) de Grimoard around the year 1310 in Grisac, in the region of Languedoc, France. Raised in a pious and noble family, he was marked from his youth by intellectual brilliance and a deep spirit of piety. He entered the Benedictine Order at Chirac, embracing the Rule of St. Benedict with a seriousness and austerity that would remain the bedrock of his life.
Educated in canon and civil law at Montpellier and Toulouse, he earned a doctorate and became known for his prudence and learning. Though he held various ecclesiastical offices—Abbot of Saint-Germain in Auxerre and later at Saint-Victor in Marseille—he remained a true monk at heart, always clothed in the Benedictine habit and ever committed to monastic simplicity and discipline.
Papacy: A Monk on the Papal Throne
Elected Pope: September 28, 1362 (at Avignon)
Urban V was elected pope during the time of the Avignon Papacy, a period (1309–1377) when the Roman Pontiffs resided in Avignon, France, rather than in Rome. Unusually, he was not a cardinal at the time of his election. His ascension to the papacy was seen as the elevation of a man of virtue, wisdom, and spiritual insight in a time of great political turmoil and moral laxity.
As pope, Urban V governed with monastic rectitude. His papal reign was marked by:
- Reform of the Clergy and Religious Orders: He labored tirelessly to restore discipline among the clergy and religious, enforcing the decrees of previous councils and promoting moral rectitude.
- Support of Education and the Arts: He founded and supported several universities, including the University of Kraków in Poland, and was a great patron of letters and learning.
- Missionary Work: He encouraged missions to Asia and Africa, sending missionaries to the East to evangelize in lands that had little contact with Christianity.
- Peace Efforts: Urban worked to bring peace among Christian princes during the Hundred Years’ War and attempted to reconcile warring factions within Italy.
Return to Rome and Defense of the Papal States
Although he governed from Avignon, Pope Urban V deeply desired the return of the papacy to its rightful See in Rome, as he believed firmly in the spiritual and historical primacy of the Roman See.
In 1367, encouraged by St. Bridget of Sweden and supported by the Emperor Charles IV, he returned to Rome amid much rejoicing. He reestablished order, restored churches, and tried to reassert papal authority in the Papal States. But constant wars, political instability, and pressure from the French monarchy forced him, with great reluctance, to return to Avignon in 1370.
Death and Legacy
Urban V died on December 19, 1370, shortly after returning to Avignon. Those who attended him in his final illness testified that he died as he had lived: as a monk, poor in spirit, devoted to prayer, humble in demeanor, and obedient unto death. His body was buried in the Abbey of St. Victor in Marseille, where he had once been abbot.
St. Bridget of Sweden, who knew him personally, revered him as a holy pope, calling him a man “more worthy of the papal office than any other.”
Spiritual Character and Virtues
Blessed Urban V is remembered not for temporal triumphs but for the holiness of his life, the spirit of reform, and his earnest striving to bring the Church back to spiritual integrity. He was known for:
- Humility and monastic austerity even on the papal throne.
- Detachment from worldly honors, remaining a monk even while pope.
- Zeal for ecclesiastical reform and the integrity of the clergy.
- True devotion to the Roman See, understanding the importance of its primacy.
Beatification and Veneration
Pope Pius IX beatified Urban V on March 10, 1870, in recognition of his heroic virtue and the sanctity of his life. Though he has not been canonized, devotion to him endures, especially among Benedictines and those devoted to papal history and reform.
Patronage and Relevance Today
While not officially designated as a patron, Blessed Urban V may be invoked by:
- Monks and religious superiors, as a model of governance with humility.
- Church reformers, seeking to restore discipline and holiness.
- Teachers and scholars, especially in Catholic institutions.
- Those working for peace, given his efforts to reconcile Christian nations.
Prayer in Honor of Blessed Urban V
O God, Who didst raise up Thy servant, Blessed Urban, to the dignity of Supreme Pontiff, and didst endow him with the spirit of humility and zeal for the reform of Thy Church: grant, we beseech Thee, that following his example, we may seek Thee above all things and serve Thee with a pure heart. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.