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| | BENEDICT IX |
 | | As Desiderius, the abbot of Monte Cassino (later Pope Victor III), put it, "Devoted to pleasure, he preferred to live like Epicurus rather than like a pope." Consequently, he abdicated and handed over the papacy to the worthy archpriest, John Gratian. |
 | | After the death of Clement II, he once again entered Rome and held sway at the Lateran, but only from November 8, 1047 to July 17, 1048. |
 | | And like the few other bad men who were popes, Benedict taught nothing but the pure doctrine of Christ, though by so doing he condemned and did not excuse his own evil life. |
| www.cfpeople.org /books/pope/POPEp146.htm (497 words) |
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