Pope Urban II
Host: Welcome to radio where we talk to the famous people who had once lived in this world but now are in heaven and some in hell too. Today we have a guest who is from the 11th century! He was born in 1035 AD in the Country of Champagne in France and is now coming to the studios from heaven to pay us a visit. He was the successor to Victor III and was pope from 1088 until 1099 AD. He instructed the first crusade and set up modern-day Roman Curia to help run the church. Please welcome back to Earth the blessed soul, his holiness Pope Urban II.
(Applause)
Welcome back, hey I can see through you!
Pope Urban: (Laugh) thanks?
Host: (Laugh) just kidding, so how's everything going on in heaven?
Pope Urban: Its all amazing! Mhmm, cant say any more or I'll be in trouble.
Host: Well leave that as a suspense. (Laugh) So your original name was Odo of Lagny, right?
Pope Urban: Yes.
Host: And after your studies in Soissons and Reims, you took the position of archdeacon in the diocese of Reims. How was that like?
Pope Urban: Well, Reims was the most important metropolis in France. And I was appointed by the bishop as an ordained cleric to assist him in administration. It was an office of quite considerable power.
Host: So how long did you do that?
Pope: Im not sure because it has been almost 1000 years but I think that was from 1055 to 1067 which is what, 12 years?
Host: Wow 12 years! Im not sure I'll last here that long! (Laugh) And what did you do after that?
Pope: Well because of my work experience, I was qualified to become a monk and then a superior at Cluny. That was the most important centre of reform monasticism in Europe in the 11th century.
Host: Mhmm so you gained a lot of experience in administration.
Pope: Yes, and there I was to be in touch with the canons regular (bunch of serious people who did service at church and lived strict lives) and also the monks of Cluny.
Host: So you were coming...