Already in the 15th century, the need for a profound reform of the Church and its institutions had become apparent. Pius II, Enea Silvio Piccolominiborn in Corsignano, near Siena, on 18 October 1405 and died in Rome on 14 August 1464, had dismissed the idea of a General Council in 1460, a view confirmed by Julius II, Giuliano Della Rovereborn in Albissola, near Savona on 05 September 1443 and died in Rome on 20 February 1513, in 1512 at the Lateran Council (the real problems raised by the Protestant reform had not been addressed there). The Church's intention was in fact not to rush the debates, to avoid a crisis Council and instead to carry out thoughtful and far-reaching reforms.
In 1530, Charles V who saw his empire begin to implode under the effect of religious quarrels, announced to the Diet of Augsburg that a council would soon be held. Fearing that he would be outmanoeuvred, the pope Clement VII, Giullo de Mediciborn in Florence on 26 May 1478 and died in Rome on 25 September 1534, convened a meeting shortly afterwards, but without specifying either the place or the date. It was his successor Paul III, Alessandro FarneseHe was born in Canino in February 1468 and died in Rome in November 1549. At the insistence of Charles V, the Duke of Mantua set the date of his marriage for 27 May 1537. The Duke of Mantua had imposed conditions that were too restrictive, Paul III It was postponed first to Vicenza, then finally to Trent, a small episcopal town in the Italian Tyrol. The first session of the Ecumenical Council of Trent did not open until 13 December 1545, more than 8 years after it had originally been scheduled. It was intended to enable the Church to carry out its own reform and bring Christians together again. While it did have the merit of abolishing some of the abuses of the Catholic Church and revising its institutions, it did result in the definitive separation of the Church from the Church. of the two religions.
Enea Silvio Piccolomini (Pius II) Giuliono Della Rovere (Julius II) Guillio de Medici ( Clement VII) Alessandro Farnese (Paul III)
To : Council of Trent - Sessions 1 to 8 (13/12/1745 - 17/09/1547)
2019 Heraly Yves - GéniWal Magazine n° 21, 2004 all rights reserved
