Gregory XII
Angelo Correr · 1406 – 1415
Resigned the papacy to help end the Western Schism, one of only a handful of popes to abdicate.
Angelo Correr was a Venetian who became pope in 1406 during the Western Schism, when multiple claimants held the papal title. After years of failed negotiations, Gregory agreed to resign at the Council of Constance in 1415, clearing the way for a unified election. His willingness to step aside for the good of the Church was an act of humility that helped heal one of the worst crises in papal history. He lived out his remaining years quietly as a cardinal.
Why He Matters
Gregory XII gave up the papacy so the Church could be whole again. In a crisis caused by men clinging to power, his decision to let go was the one that actually worked.