The Church

The Catholic Church in Italy in 1200
Relative stability on the Italian peninsula in the church has allowed Italian members of the church to think and examine both Christianity and the Church. This vitality in monstaries and churches has generated an enourmous range of interpretation of everything to do with Christianity. The diversity of ideas has recently created conflict within the monastic orders which has recently been addressed by the Pope.

Pope Innocent III decreed that the Benedictine orders should be grouped, similarly to the Cistercians. The Pope also decreed no new styles of monastic orders can be created and that any new orders make their rules from the plethora of existing rules. Monastic reformers currently are examining these new restrictions and deciding how to adjust.

The Pope has given more power to the Archbishops and Bishops and has begun a program of educating the upper clergy, mainly bishops, in universities. He has also begun very limited funding for the education of parish ministers.

Italian Bishops
Diocese of Perugia [Rome]: Bishop Puchi Diocese of Rome [Rome]: Bishop Vecchio

Italian Arch-Bishops
Archdiocese of Rome: Archbishop Vecchio

Cardinals of Rome

The Pope, Vicar of Christ, Ruler of the Papal States
The Pope: (1198-?) Innocent III
Innocent III is a young man of 35, but extremely well versed in Theology and all matters of the Church. In the last couple years, the runaway disinegration of the church has been stopped and its energies have been refocused on the growth of the church. Innocent III hopes to unify the church and consolidate its power. Several times the Pope has spoken out against ignorance in the church.

Living Saints
Saint Francis: just sainted for his miracle outside Gubbio in converting the giant wolf and eliminating the regional wolf attacks. Saint Francis strongly believes in Pope Innocent III's plan to educate the clergy, but sees the burden on the peasants imposed by the church as disrupting the ability to preach the gospel. Saint Francis also sees the threat of the heresies in destroying the unity of Christianity.

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