Story Highlights
- Historical event:
- 9 October 1047
- The body of Pope Clement II is interred in the only papal tomb in Germany. The tomb is located in the famous Bamberg Cathedral.
Pope Clement II, the 149th leader of the Catholic Church, was born on this day in 1047.
Despite the fact that he died in Italy, at the town of Pesaro on the Adriatic coast, Clement II was buried in Germany. His body today lies in the crypt of the Bamberg Cathedral. It is interesting that this is the only papal tomb north of the Alps; in fact, it is the only papal tomb outside Italy and France. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of papal tombs are located in Italy.
Clement II had a rather short pontificate, and was buried at Bamberg according to his own wish. Namely, before he was elected pope, he became the bishop of that German town. Indeed, it is interesting that Clement II allegedly continued to preside over the Bamberg diocese even after he became pope (i.e. Bishop of Rome).
