St. Celestine V resigned as pope after only five months as pontiff because he considered the papacy to be a distraction from his ascetic life and because he lacked administrative ability. A Benedictine monk who had founded many monasteries and lived for years as a hermit, he believed it was dangerous for both the Roman Catholic Church and his soul to continue as pope. He reigned from July 5 to December 13, 1294.
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