Saint Gregory VII, taking refuge in Castel Sant’Angelo, asked Robert Guiscard to come to Rome, expel the invader, Henry IV, and to free the Pope … “This integrity of soul whereby a man goes to all lengths, all risks, all hardships, in order to obtain victory for the cause of Holy Church, makes me enthusiastic.”
Newsdesk (07/12/2022 14:48, Gaudium Press) Robert Guiscard, Duke of Puglia, in Southern Italy, was descended from the Vikings and was a great warrior. Anne Comnene, daughter of the Emperor of Byzantium, Alexis I (1058-1118), describes him thus:
“Of large build, he surpassed the tallest men in his army. A ruddy face, blonde hair, eyes as bright and sparkling as fire, broad shoulders. There was perfect proportion in every part of his body.”[1]
Despite having previously trespassed on Church property, Guiscard was faithful to divine grace and heeded St Gregory’s entreaties.
In May 1084, commanding 30,000 men, he set out towards Rome. Learning of the news, the nefarious Henry IV fled, but first he had part of the city burned to the ground.
Guiscard frees Saint Gregory VII
Henry IV had received a large sum of money from the Byzantine emperor to fight Guiscard and dominate Apulia, but he used the fortune to procure bad elements from the populace of Rome.
When Guiscard arrived at the walls all the gates were closed. He spent three days studying a plan of attack. He noticed that one of the gates was unguarded, so at night he climbed through it himself using a ladder and opened it. Thus his army entered Rome.
He then immediately mounted a horse and set off in the direction of Castel Sant’Angelo. Conducting the Pope to the Lateran Palace, he placed him on a throne and kissed his feet; all the nobles present did the same.
Henry’s minions attacked the soldiers of Guiscard, who defended them brilliantly with his sword, killed many enemies, and had Rome set on fire. Strong winds carried the flames against the henchmen of the excommunicated emperor, while his own military were shielded. The fire consumed a large part of the city and the traitors fled.
Finally, accompanied by cardinals and Guiscard, Saint Gregory made his way to Salerno – south-west Italy – where he was received triumphantly. Soon afterwards, he convened a council in which he renewed the excommunication of the antipope Wibert and of Henry IV and his followers.
“I have loved justice and hated iniquity”
The nefarious Henry went with his army to Northern Italy, where he had many supporters. His troops, led by two bishops, surrounded a fortress near Modena. They pitched their tents with the aim of conquering it the following day.
During the night, while everyone was sleeping, a formidable cry rang out in the silence. It was the Countess Matilde who arrived with her phalanxes shouting, “Great Apostle Peter, fight for your defenders!” The victory of the true Catholics was total.
Terrified, Henry crossed the Alps and stayed in a region beyond the Rhine River.
God punished Lombardy, whose bishops were supporters of Henry IV, by sending a terrible famine to the region that killed all the leaders of the revolt against the Holy Pope.
After a few months, Saint Gregory began preparations to return to Rome, but he became seriously ill. Realizing that his death was approaching, the prelates surrounded his bed. Raising his arms, he stated:
“I will ascend to Heaven and commend you to God with such fervent prayers that He will be propitious to you.”
And the last words that could be gathered from his lips were these, “I have loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile.”[2] It was May 25th, 1085.
A man who gave in to nothing and faced everything
St Gregory VII, an ardent devotee of Our Lady and the Blessed Sacrament, advocated daily Communion for the faithful.
We quote below some comments made by Dr. Plinio Corrêa de Oliveira about this great Pope, who “has been called to render in the History of the Church, more than any other Saint I know, a virtue which excites me to the highest degree, and to which all the fibers of my soul incline: unbreakable combativeness. He fought everything, he fought against everyone, he yielded in nothing and faced everything.
“This integrity of soul whereby a man goes to all lengths, all risks, all hardships, in order to obtain victory for the cause of Holy Church, makes me enthusiastic.
“However, because he is very combative, St Gregory VII necessarily must also have in a high degree the symmetrical or opposite virtues. Thus, precisely because he was very combative, he must also have been a very ardent devotee of Our Lady, very tender, very gentle, and a very ardent devotee of the Blessed Sacrament, inculcating extremely gentle forms of piety, such as daily attendance at the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to the Blessed Virgin.
The Gnostic and egalitarian revolution needs to be punished
“What is the lesson we draw from this?
“That of being steadfast, firm, going to the limits, to the pinnacle of principles, to the final consequences, facing any adversary with visor raised and sword in hand, not being content with half measures, with empty words, nor with vain hopes, but, to the very letter, demanding that the power that has arisen be broken and the risk that has been constituted be annulled; only then to have mercy.
“For mercy is admirable while it calls the sinner to repentance and forgives him. It would not be admirable and would not be true mercy if it were peace with the sinner who does not repent. It requires the sinner to sincerely repent and ask for forgiveness.
“Thus, in our struggle we must consider the designs of Providence: to desire with all our soul that the adversary of the true Roman Catholic Apostolic Church in our day be punished: the accursed Gnostic and egalitarian Revolution.
“But let her be punished even more than the Emperor Henry IV was, because she dared something worse: she tried to penetrate the Sanctuary itself and turn it into a stronghold of the Revolution. She has thinned out the whole earth, and the punishment must be proportionate. The Revolution, as such, must disappear!
“Here is the lesson of the great Saint Gregory VII. In the last analysis, to take the
good, truth, beauty and fidelity to the Church to its ultimate consequences.”[3]
By Paul Francis Martos
Noções de História da Igreja
[1] Cf. COMNENE, Anne. Alexiade. Book I, chapter. 7.
[2] DARRAS, Joseph Epiphane. Histoire Génerale de l’Église. 1881, v. XXII, p. 581-582.
[3] CORRÊA DE OLIVEIRA, Plinio. Harmonia: uma criatura de Deus. In Dr. Plinio. Year XII, n. 137 (August 2009), p. 25; A mais eminente figura da Idade Média. Year I, n. 242 (May 2018), p. 27; O Papa que travou uma batalha decisiva. Year XXIII, n. 266 (May 2020), p. 26-28.
Compiled by Roberta MacEwan
