Urban V pope

Guillaume de Grimoard, born around 1310 in the Gévaudan, was a Benedictine and a canonist, abbot of Saint-Victor at Marseille, when he was elected in 1362 without even being a cardinal. He kept the monastic habit under the tiara and his order's regime. His policy came down to one decision all Europe was waiting for: to bring the papacy back to Rome. He entered it in 1367, found a city in ruins, restored basilicas, received the Byzantine emperor. But the Italian war, the revolts of the cities and the pressure of the French cardinals wore him down: he left again in 1370 for Avignon, despite the public warning of Bridget of Sweden, who foretold that he would die there. He died three months later. Above all he is owed colleges and scholarships: he had more than a thousand poor students taught at his own expense. Beatified by Pius IX in 1870, he was never canonised.