Victor IV, Antipope

VITTORE IV, ANTIPOPE. — Elected by the Anacleto II (v.) around the middle of March 1138, he was mockingly nicknamed by the Romans «carnecorium» or «carnicorvum».

His name was Gregorio (his belonging to the Conti family has not been proven), and he had been created cardinal priest of the SS. Apostoli by Callisto II in December 1122. In 1130 he was one of the electors of Anacleto II. No documents issued during his very brief pseudo-pontificate are known; it ended on 29 May 1138 through the intervention of s. Bernardo, who accompanied him, together with his supporters, Innocenzo II (v.) (cf. Ep. 317 of s. Bernardo: PL 182, 523). Innocenzo granted everyone the pardon they requested and promised to maintain V. dignity; nevertheless, at the Second Lateran Council (April 1139) he deposed him, like all the other Anacletians, provoking the protests of s. Bernardo, advocate of reconciliation (cf. Ep. 213: PL 182, 378). Nothing more is known thereafter about Cardinal Gregorio.

BIBL.: Lib. Pont., II, p. 383 (life of Innocenzo II by Cardinal Bosone); Mansi, XXI, col. 525 (chronicae of Morigny); J. M. Watterich, Pontificum Roman... Vitae, II, Leipzig 1862, p. 178; Jaffé-Wattenbach, I, p. 919; Hefele-Leclercq, V, 1 (1912), pp. 721-724, 733; P. F. Palumbo, Lo scisma del MCXXX..., Rome 1942, pp. 588-89, 591-94. A. Pietro Fruta
Cite this article

“VITTORE IV, ANTIPAPA.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. XII (1954), p. 970. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/vittore-iv-antipapa.