![[coat of arms of Pope Gelasius II]](ncd03497.gif "4kb gif illustration of the coat of arms of Pope Gelasius II; please do not write to ask about the image")
Reigned from 24 January 1118 to 29 January 1119.
Born c.1058 at Gaeta, Italy as Giovanni de Gaeta; died at Cluny, France.
He was a Benedictine, cardinal, and chancellor of the Holy See.
His election was contested by Cenzio Frangipani who maltreated and imprisoned him.
A Roman mob rescued and established him in the Vatican.
Emperor Henry V then attempted to seize him, but he fled to France.
The emperor elected the anti-pope Maurice Bourdin who ruled for three years.
Gelasius died of pleurisy as he was making plans for a council to be convened at Rheims.
Feast, 29 January.
New Catholic Dictionary
