St. Celestine V, born Pietro da Morrone (or Pietro Angelerio) was elected pope when he was about 80 years old to resolve a two-year deadlock in the papal conclave, which had been unable to agree on a successor after the death of Pope Nicholas IV in 1292. During the stalemate, the Benedictine hermit Pietro wrote a letter to the dean of the College of Cardinals to admonish the cardinals for having not yet elected a pope. His letter reportedly influenced their decision to elect him.
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