Born
7 January 1502
Birthplace
Bologna, Italy
Pope from
13 May 1572
Pope until
10 April 1585
Died
10 April 1585
Who he was
A lawyer who taught law at Bologna, he went to the Council of Trent as a papal jurist and later served as a bishop, cardinal and legate to Spain. His early life was worldly, and he had a son before he took holy orders. Elected at seventy, he set himself to carry out the decrees of Trent and took his holy predecessor, St Pius V, as his model.
What he is remembered for
He is best known for the Gregorian calendar, which he introduced in 1582 and which most of the world still uses. He also founded or endowed many colleges and seminaries, including the English College in Rome and the building of the Roman College (today's Gregorian University), and issued a revised Roman Martyrology.
Sources
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