Doctors and Popes

Abstract

In the history of Christianity, out of 266 Popes, only four were Medical Doctors.
In April 309 Eusebius, of Greek origin, was appointed Pope, but he soon exiled and died four months later in Sicily.
Sicilian Leon II, erudite, priest and Medical Doctor was appointed Pope in August 682. Ten months later he died in Rome. Leon’s feast day is July the 3rd.
Victor III, originally Dauferius, later Desiderius, was born in 1027 in Benevento, Lombardy, northern Italy. He studied Medicine under Constantinus Africanus at the Salernian Medical School. He was elected Pope in May 16th, 1086 and died sixteen months later in Montecassino. He was beatified. His day is September 16th.
In September 1276, Portuguese philosopher, theologist, juriconsult and Medical Doctor Peter Julianus was elected Pope as John XXI. He died eight months later at Viterbo, Italy, when a roof tumbled down upon him.
In 1783 Miguel Gorman, physician to the Viceroyalty of the River Plate, addressed the Medical Academy with a lecture on four medical scholars who were Popes.