This week in Christian history: Pope Nicholas elected, Joan of Arc victorious, ‘Paradise Lost’ sold

Pope Nicholas I elected – April 24, 858

This week marks the anniversary of when Pope Nicholas I was elected pontiff, beginning a reign that would see him exert considerable political influence over Christian Europe.

A member of the Curia for 15 years before he was elected to replace Pope Benedict III, Nicholas is credited with championing the supremacy of Roman church authority over other bishoprics.

“Consistently urging the supremacy of Rome, he fully endorsed the papal inheritance of sacerdotal and royal functions as conferred by Christ on St. Peter and the delegation of temporal power to the emperor for the protection of the church,” noted Britannica.

“He reacted against Carolingian domination in ecclesiastical matters and claimed the right to legislate for the whole of Christendom. Thus, his teaching contained the rudiments of papal theocracy and helped to found Roman supremacy over the Western sees by declaring that all must observe what the pope decides.”