They suggest Pope Francis recognize the schismatic antipope Luna of Avignon

Spanish authorities have asked Pope Francis for “the recognition of Pope Luna”, the Spaniard who was Gregory XIII, second antipope of the Western Schism, whose pontiffs settled in Avignon (France) at the end of the 14th century.

This is stated by the Government of Aragon, a Spanish regional administration, whose president, Carlos Azcón, together with the mayor of Zaragoza, Natalia Chueca, have been received on a private visit by Pope Francis. The Archbishop of Zaragoza, Mons. Carlos Escribano, also participated in the meeting.

It is not the first time that the rehabilitation of Pope Luna has been called for, which is why, at least since October 2023, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, would be studying documentation on Gregory XIII of Avignon , according to collect the newspaper El Heraldo de Aragón.

Who was “Papa Luna”?

Pedro Martínez de Luna, born in an Aragonese municipality, was named cardinal by Pope Gregory Only Martínez de Luna and Cardinal Roberto de Ginebra considered themselves neutral.

Martínez de Luna supported the election of Urban VI and participated in the coronation ceremony that took place in the Basilica of San Juan de Letrán. Soon, some questioned the legitimacy of the Pope and, although at first he did not agree, the Spanish cardinal ended up joining the current that finally declared the election of Urban VI null.

Gathered in a new conclave in the Italian town of Fondi, they elected Cardinal Robert of Geneva as the new Pope, who took the name of Clement VII, who settled in Avignon, where several pontiffs had previously remained.

Since then, Cardinal Martínez de Luna was a key actor in what was known as the Western Schism, serving as papal delegate for more than three decades. Upon the death of Clement VII, he was elected Pope under the name Benedict XIII.

He intended to remain in Avignon, but France withdrew its economic and political support. Thus, he had to take refuge in Naples and little by little, the majority of those who had supported the Avignon schism abandoned him.

After several attempts to find negotiated solutions to the situation, in which there were up to three popes claiming the legitimate succession to the Chair of Saint Peter, Benedict XIII was finally declared a heretic and antipope at the Council of Constance in 1413.

It was then that he settled in the Peñíscola Castle, where he died in 1423 at the age of 94. He only had one successor, Gil Sánchez Muñoz, who took the name Clement VIII. His abdication in 1429 ended the Western Schism.

Invitation for Pope Francis to visit Spain

According to official information of the Aragonese institution, a formal invitation has also been sent to the Pontiff to visit Aragon and, in particular, Zaragoza, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the trip of his predecessor Saint John Paul II to these lands where the Virgin of Pilar is venerated.

“The Holy Father has told us that he has planned it, that he wants to come to Spain and that he wants to come to Zaragoza. But he wants those visits to large countries like ours to take place later, he prefers to start with smaller countries. But he is aware that he has yet to visit Spain, Aragon and Zaragoza,” Azcón assured.