Papal Pandemonium: Quarterfinal #5

Papal Pandemonium 2015
Quarterfinals									Semifinals			Finals
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	1	2	3	Results

For more info on Popes, visit New Advent's Catholic Encyclopedia

Congrats to our three winners in Tuesday’s quarterfinal, the three C’s: Celestine, Cornelius, and Constantine.

Today marks the middle of our first-round match-ups; 12 of our 27 semifinal tickets have been punched, and at midnight Eastern tonight, we’ll know our next three.

Which names will you choose? Things are starting to get exciting!

Adeodatus (672–676)

Derivation: Latin, given by God

This name is related to Deusdedit, used by an earlier pope; for that reason, this pope, about which very little is known, is sometimes called Adeodatus II. It’s also the name 17-year-old St. Augustine gave to his illegitimate son.

Anacletus^✝ (76–88)

Derivation: Greek, unimpeachable

The only real info we have about him is that he also went by Cletus. Seriously.

Damasus – used 2 times (last: 1048)

Derivation: Latin, tamer

I✝	II
366–384	1048

The Roman Empire made Christianity its official religion in 380, during the reign of the first Pope Damasus. (Tamer, indeed.)

Evaristus^✝ (97–105)

Derivation: Greek, well-pleasing

Pope Evaristus divided Rome into seven sections, appointing a deacon to each. It’s unclear whether he was martyred.

Francis (2013–)

Derivation: Latin, Frenchman

The father of St. Francis of Assisi did a lot of trade with the French, so he nicknamed his son Francesco in their honor.

The current pope, an Argentinian born Jorge Bergoglio, is the first from outside Europe since Syrian-born Gregory III (741). He took the name as his vow to those in poverty – a cause dear to the Saint.

Explained CNN soon after his election: “A fellow cardinal from Brazil had told [Bergoglio] ‘don’t forget the poor’ as the votes stacked up in his favor.”

Simplicius^✝ (468–483)

Derivation: Latin, simple

When Odoacer deposed the last Roman Emperor in 476, he left Simplicius in control of Rome’s administration.

Siricius^✝ (384–399)

Derivation: unknown; possibly related to the Greek seirios, glowing

Perhaps the first pope to use the titles Pope and Pontifex Maximus. Countered by Antipope Ursinus, who would be high on the oddsmakers’ chart of winning this competition were he legit.

Sixtus – used 5 times (last: 1590)

Derivation: Greek, polished

I✝	II✝	III✝	IV	V
115–125	257–258	432–440	1471–1484	1585–1590

Originally written XYSTUS, this name has been awaiting a sixth member for over 400 years (a huge disappointment to my fellow TOCer Chris Miller, among many others).

Xystus II gets a shout-out in the Canon of the Mass.

Sixtus was the middle name of Secretary of State Edmund Muskie.

Telesphorus^✝ (125–136)

Derivation: Greek, bearing fruit

A contemporary writer called his martyrdom “glorious”. He might have been the first pope to celebrate Lenten Week before Easter. Also the name of a Greek god.