Blessed Pope Urban II

A thousand years later...what would Blessed Pope Urban II do today?

Council of Clermont 1095

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/urban2-5vers.html

Pope Urban II gave a Speech at the Council of Clermont in 1095 to garner support for a crusade to rid the Holy Land of the Turks who had overtaken most of Asia Minor. The following is an overview of different accounts of the Pope’s speech. Throughout all the accounts the same theme is repeated although using different methods of attraction. In some cases men are asked to mark themselves on the forehead or on their clothing with the sign of Christ’s passion, the cross.

Fulcher of Chartres states that Crusaders should fight so that more Christians are not killed and more Christian land is not occupied. The crusaders should fight because Christ commands it, not just the Pope. In this speech the Pope also appeals to remission of sins for those who will go out and fight for this cause.

Robert the Monk’s version of the speech of Clermont 1095 appeals to scripture verses. It is a very passionate speech that entices those who are listening that God is speaking to them through the Biblical scriptures. This version of the speech is very graphic and aims to tug on the hearts of every Christian who is listening. The descriptive tortuous acts are crying out for vengeance. Robert the Monk wants to compare fighting for the Holy Land to emulate that of nobility such as King Charles the Great.

The Gesta version is from an un-named source that focuses on the words of Christ. That if one is to be in eternal glory with Him one must suffer greatly. This version also mentions that the Pope traveled and spoke his speech everywhere he went to garner support.

Balderic of Dol version is an intense, spirited account that begins by painting the invaders as animals that should be flogged. Balderic writes that a true Christian soldier is one who kills for Christ and one who is prepared to die for Christ. The things of this world are not important (not even your wives). Balderic adrenalized the listeners by comparing this new crusading army just as important as the battles of Israel in the Old Testament.

Guibert de Nogent wrote an account that reminds the Christian faithful that they have been given a new life in Christ, and all that they have is owed to Christ, without Christians there is nothing. There is also an appeal on grounds of simple humanity and morals, even if one were not a Christian one should find the atrocities going on to be unacceptable. The Pope also gives his apostolic blessing to those who would take up this fight and blesses their family members under the protection of the Papacy as well.

Pax Christi