Latest news with #Philosopher
NDTV
22-04-2025
- General
- NDTV
Benedict IX: The Youngest Pope In History And The Turmoil That Followed
The Catholic Church is in mourning following the death of Pope Francis. As is customary, with the death of a pope, the process of selecting a new leader for the Church is already underway. The election of a pope is always a momentous occasion in the history of the Catholic Church, but in the case of Pope Benedict IX, it was one of the most extraordinary. Elected as pope at a remarkably young age, Benedict IX became the youngest pope in history - a record that still stands today. Rise Of A Boy Pope Benedict IX, born Theophylactus of Tusculum, became pope at an unusually young age, possibly as young as 11, though most accounts suggest he was closer to 20. His exact age when elected in 1032 is still debated. The Catholic Encyclopedia, a reference from the early 20th century, suggests he was around 20. Philosopher Bertrand Russell, in 'A History of Western Philosophy', mentioned he might have been just 12. A contemporary monk, Rodulfus Glaber, also claimed Benedict IX was 12 when he became pope, a view supported by historian F Donald Logan in 'A History of the Church in the Middle Ages'. Tumultuous Reign Benedict IX's reign as pope was marked by scandal, violence and power struggles. He served three times as pope-first from 1032 to 1044, then briefly in 1045, and again from 1047 to 1048. He is perhaps most famous for selling the papacy before reclaiming it twice. His rule was filled with violence and debauchery, leading to an uprising in Rome. By early 1045, Benedict was forced to flee, and Bishop John of Sabina was elected pope in his place. Benedict's brothers orchestrated his return and expelled the new pope. In 1045, Benedict IX sold the papacy to his godfather, Giovanni Graziano, who took the name Pope Gregory VI. His papacy was short-lived. By 1046, three men - Benedict, Sylvester III, and Gregory VI - were all claiming to be pope. Emperor Henry III intervened by convening the Council of Sutri, which deposed all three claimants. Benedict was removed and Gregory was forced to resign. After the death of Pope Clement II in 1047, Benedict returned to Rome, trying once more to reclaim the papacy. In 1048, he was expelled by Boniface of Tuscany and never returned to Rome. The Catholic Encyclopedia, which typically offers a more sympathetic view, does not hold back in its criticism of Benedict IX, calling him "a disgrace to the Chair of Peter." Benedict IX spent his final years in seclusion, possibly at a monastery, and died around 1055 or 1056.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Yahoo
Cleveland Museum of Art to return looted, headless, bronze statue to Türkiye
CLEVELAND (WJW) – A headless, bronze statue at the Cleveland Museum of Art is confirmed to have been looted from Bubon, Türkiye, and will soon be returned. The statue, known in Cleveland for many years as 'Draped Male Figure' or 'The Philosopher,' is valued at $20 million and is believed to be of former Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, although without the head it will likely never be proven. The Cleveland Museum of Art issued a press release on Friday confirming the findings of its testing. Father, daughter arrested after body found in storage room, man shot in apartment '(…) The Cleveland Museum of Art has made the decision to transfer the Greek or Roman bronze statue of a draped male figure (the Philosopher) to the district attorney for delivery to the Republic of Türkiye,' the release reads. 'The test results led the museum to conclude that the statue was likely present at the site commonly known as the Sebasteion in the ancient city of Bubon, Türkiye. Those tests involved creating molds of the statue's feet, including a lead plug in the left foot, and comparing them to stone pedestals located at the Sebasteion, which retain certain holes on their upper surfaces to hold the feet of statues.' The MOA said three different types of analyses were performed on soil samples from within the statue as well. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin L. Bragg, Jr.'s Office said this is one of 15 antiquities looted, 14 of which have been repatriated to Türkiye. Their combined value is estimated to be $80 million. 'I appreciate the museum's cooperation throughout this matter, which is illustrative of how we can work together to ensure that looted antiquities are in the possession of its rightful owners. Our extensive investigation into the widespread and historic looting at Bubon has now led to 15 antiquities recovered for the people of Türkiye, and I thank our team of prosecutors, analysts, and investigators for their hard work,' District Attorney Bragg said in a press release. Many art historians feel strongly that this statue is of the former Roman emperor. 'I think everyone knows that this is Marcus Aurelius and this was certainly one of the top ten or 15 works of art in the Cleveland Museum of Art,' Case Western Reserve University Professor Henry Adams said. 5 hypothermia deaths in Cuyahoga County prompt public health advisory Adams tells Fox 8 there has always been suspicion the statue was smuggled. 'This is a work that was purchased in 1986,' he explained. 'When I came to the museum in 1996, I was told by quite a number of people that this was something that had been stolen from Turkey. That was rumor.' The Cleveland Museum of Art said its extensive testing proves the statue is 'probably not' Marcus Aurelius, but rather a Greek Philosopher. 'The stone base at the Sebasteion where the statue was likely located does not bear any inscription,' the release reads. 'Although there is an inscription on a separate stone base at the Sebasteion that bears a legend in ancient Greek of 'Marcus Aurelius,' the new tests suggest that the Philosopher is highly unlikely to have ever been on that stone base. Without a head or identifying inscription, the identity of the statue remains uncertain.' Turkish officials and the MOA are considering a temporary display of the statue in Cleveland prior to its transfer to Türkiye for cultural cooperation between Türkiye and the museum. No date has been set for either the display or return. How did it end up in Cleveland? The DA's office detailed the history in its release: How many plane crashes have there been in the US this year? 'In the 1960s, individuals from a village near Bubon began plundering a Sebasteion, an ancient shrine with monumental bronze statues of Roman emperors and selling those looted antiquities to smugglers based in the coastal Turkish city of Izmir. Working with Switzerland-based trafficker George Zakos and New York-and-Paris-based trafficker Robert Hecht, they unlawfully removed the looted antiquities from Türkiye, transporting them to Switzerland or the United Kingdom, and then onward to the United States or other European destinations. Once the statues were in the United States, New York-based dealers such as Jerome Eisenberg's Royal-Athena Galleries and the Merrin Gallery funneled the stolen Bubon bronzes into museum exhibitions and academic publications thereby laundering the pieces with newly crafted provenance. As the Bubon pieces graced the pages of exhibition catalogues and academic publications, the reputational value of the institutions who displayed the Bubon pieces increased, and the financial value of the statues grew.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
