Vatican City, Jul 7, 2010 / 08:31 am
Pope Benedict XVI continued on the theme of medieval theologians at Wednesday's general audience, as he taught about a Franciscan priest and teacher named Blessed John Duns Scotus. The Holy Father remembered his loyalty and devotion to Christ, the Church and the Successor of St. Peter, as well as his contributions to Christian thought.
The last scheduled private or public audience for the Pope until August was attended by around 7,000 cheering pilgrims, who filled the Paul VI Hall.
During his catechesis, the Pope recalled the life of the medieval Scottish priest and theologian, Blessed John Duns Scotus. He spoke of how the Franciscan, who taught at Oxford, Cambridge, and later in Paris, left France instead of betraying Pope Boniface VIII who was in conflict with King Phillip IV.
This fact, said the Pope, "invites us to remember how many times in the history of the Church, believers have found hostility and promptly even persecution because of their loyalty and devotion to Christ, to the Church and to the Pope.