Bl. Pope Urban V
1310-1370
Feast Day: December 19
Patronage: Architects, Educators, Benedictines Missionaries
Blessed Pope Urban V was a French Benedictine monk who as pope brought the papacy back to Rome from Avignon. He was a brilliant intellectual, who lived simply and modestly. As an abbot, papal diplomat, papal ambassador and pope, he worked to reform, restore and unify the church. During his life, he worked for peace between France and Italy, established universities, and supported the crusades. He died of natural causes.