From this service, he was called back to Rome to be Vicar of St. Peter's and then Secretary of Papal Briefs. In 1690 he was made a Cardinal-deacon and upon ordination a Cardinal-priest. In 1700, he relunctantly accepted election as Pope. His election was unusual in that he was only 51 and most of his career had been spent in linguistic and administrative work rather than the priesthood.
His election was popular. He was seen as a reasonable man by the Protestant community. And Catholic reformers felt that his election was an end to nepotism by the Vatican because he had written so eloquently against the practice during his administrative career.
Accomplishments of Clement XI
Pope Clement XI did a number of things that did not let the reformers down. He worked to improve prison conditions and worked to see that food was distributed to the poor during times of scarcity. Serious art and history patrons loved him when he prohibited the exportation of ancient art. And at his own expense, he added to the Vatican Library.
Pope Clement XI made changes in how time was kept. To help ensure that the clocks in Rome were synchronized, particularly so that masses could be held at the correct times, he had built a sundial to be used as a reference or standard for all the area clocks. Pope Clement XI also reformed the religious calendar and established a set method to determine the date for Easter.
To oversee the canonization of saints, the Promoter Fidel office was created in the Vatican. Saints canonized during his reign as Pope were Pope Pius V, Andrew of Avellino, Felix of Cantalice and Catherine of Bologna.
Pope Clement XI also established the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a Holy Day of Obligation.
The business of the worldwide church was attended to. The Church was organized in the Phillipines and some issues in China were addressed.
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