PISA, COUNCIL OF. A council held in the year 1409; not reckoned among the ecumenical coun cils. It was assembled in the time of the great schism which followed the removal of the popes to Avignon (see SCHISM, WESTERN; PAPACY). for the purpose of restoring the peace of the Church. The cardinals of both parties, desiring to put an end to the anomalous condition which existed, united to call a general council. Both claimants to the Papacy, Gregory XII. and Benedict N111. (antipope), were notified by their adherents and requested to appear at its sessions. Both, however, refused and called synods of their own. The cardinals persisted, and proceeded to de liberate upon the case. Twenty-two of them were present, besides smile SO bishops and repre sentatives of over 100 more, with a vast body of abbots, doctors, and other eminent eccle siastic's. After a formal citation of the rival popes the council. on their non-appearance. pro ceeded to declare them contumacious, and to ex amine their respective claims as though they had appeared. The result, after a protracted in quiry, was a decree by which they were both de clared schismatics. and deposed from the Papal dignity, and their followers released from obedi ence. In the seventeenth session the cardinals entered into conclave to the number of 24. and unanimously elected Peter Philargi, who took the name of Alexander V. The council proceeded
after his election to pass a number of decrees, for the purpose of giving validity to the acts done on either side during the schism. A vain attempt was made to obtain the submission of the still recusant rivals, and it was resolved that a new council should be held within three years. The authority of this council, like that of the Couneil of Constance, is alleged by some Galilean divines to establish the superiority of a gen eral council over the Pope. But the contention is made in reply that both these councils, and also that of Basel, must be regarded as abnormal assemblies, called to meet the special emergency of a disputed succession and of a doubtful pope, and that these- principles cannot by any means be applied to the ordinary eircunistances of the Church, or form a precedent by which to esti mate the normal relatinIN between a pope whose title is certain and undisputed and a general couneil regularly assembled in the ordinary cir cumstances of the Church.
•there were two other councils at Pisa, in 1133, when Peter of Ilruys was condemned, and in 1511, when certain cardinals endeavored to have I'ope Julius II. condemned for not calling a general emitted] to reform the Church.