To Live in the Shadow of a Giant... Spender: Pope Adrian VI

The Little Man Himself, Adrian

Note: This can be considered a follow-up to my previous post about Pope Leo X, found here.

Of the few virtues people consider universal, charity is high up on the list. However, another one that few people ever think of, or apply to their lives, is frugality. And indeed, from the beginning of his time in the Papacy to the very end of it, this was an issue that Pope Adrian VI had to deal with. Having to serve as the successor to the infamously burning wallet that was Pope Leo X, Adrian found himself with all of the mess and none of the benefits his predecessor enjoyed. To mix up a famous quote: "He was the pope they needed, not the pope they wanted." The reason for such was his extreme efforts to restore the Catholic Church to it's former economic position. To do so required numerous spending cuts, which the Cardinals and other Catholic officials did not like in the slightest due to the luxury they immersed themselves in during the time of Leo's reign.

To say that I see myself in Adrian's shoes is an understatement. He was truly a holy man, (as well as a miser, but still a holy one) surrounded by people who would spend lavish amounts of currency for new robes. Almost all my life I have done my best to hold on to every penny I touch, whether that be by buying new shoes on clearance, not spending a dime of my summer allowance in order to buy a game I wanted later, or even skipping meals so that my semester budget doesn't go overboard. Meanwhile I look around me and people are searching to buy the newest gadget, the clothes that are in fashion, the shoes whose adornments match their hair. Pope Adrian is the type of person I would look up to in this world, one who is frugal, quiet and truly believes in the things he preaches and does. I sincerely hope that this man is happy in the next world.

Image Credit: "Pope Adrian VI" (public domain images via Wikimedia Commons)