Oct/Nov 2018 Biography Builders - Popes

+11 votes
428 views

The Pope’s project (a subproject of the Notables Project) has asked for help building biographies for the Popes. Please see the project page https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Popes to find the links to each Pope and select a Pope to update. If you can connect Popes to the tree that would be a bonus.

The table links you to sources for researching their biographies.  Pre-1500s certificated genealogists can select from that list if they wish.  Please do not copy and paste from Wikipedia but you can use it as a source for information.  Other sources like The Catholic Encyclopaedia though out of date still covers their biographies fairly acceptably.

Please answer below the name of the Pope whose profile you have chosen.  

Thank you for your support.

Here's our checklist:

Data Section:

  • birth date/place
  • names of parents
  • marriage date/place and spouse name
  • death date/place

Biography Section:

  • Written (full) sentences stating the facts above, adding inline sources to each fact.
  • Is the profile '''Genealogically Defined?'''
  • As a general rule biographies should be in your own words. Paraphrase and rewrite, don't copy/paste.
  • Baptism, burial, military, and other life events with inline sources.
  • Something to "humanize" the person, such as career or avocation with sources.
  • List of children with at least one pertinent fact.
  • One of the suggestions was siblings. I think this takes up real estate.
  • Explanatory remarks, if needed (e.g. disputed persons information, Research Notes, whatever needs extra explaining).
  • Photos or pictures, background. Not a must, but nice (you need to own the copyright unless they are in the public domain).
  • Categories/Projects.
  • Connection to the Global Tree.
  • All duplicates merged or initiated.
  • Links to persons and events, perhaps from Wikipedia.
  • Historical context as related to the person's life.
  • Sources, Sources, Sources.

You can see some ideas on where to find some of this information on the Biography Builders space page, linked below.

Use "comments" below to ask questions.

NOTE: Biography Builders will not show on the tracker. Please add a list to your answer.

WikiTree profile: Space:Biography_Builders
in Requests for Project Volunteers by Bob Keniston G2G6 Pilot (260k points)
I'd be fine with Popes in General, but no Popes migrated to America and I really have to stay at least close to my Projects
https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/701714/biography-builders-category-purpose?show=703361#a703361

Someone from biography builders might want to weigh in on the conversation to just start removing your categories from profiles.
Thanks Steven, I've added my two cents
I just adopted a mass amount of profiles that need improving so if a months project doesn't coincide with what's on my watch list or my one place study, I won't be participating. Hugs
Well, I know there is this category tree. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:Needs_Biography

Hopefully this will be used by people that stink at writing profiles but are great at finding sources. This way you will have the sources already available to write the biographies from.

I'm hoping to see a progression of "needs profiles created" and "unsourced" becoming "needs biography" to a decent profile for all of our ancestors. Unfortunately, mass amounts got dumped into the main section before they got split into smaller groups.

Possible future challenge hopefully.
Unfortunately quite a lot of the profiles in the Needs Biography category are still unsourced, in fact some do not even have birth or death dates.
I'm sorry to hear that Needs Biography has gotten populated by needs research. It was never intended to be that way.

8 Answers

+10 votes
I think I will give it a miss this month. The only British Pope is Pope Adrian IV, born Nicholas Breakspear c.1100. He does not have a profile and I am not confident enough with the early records.
by Joan Whitaker G2G6 Pilot (169k points)
+8 votes

This challenge is way out of my comfort zone, but I'll give one a try and see where it goes. I'll post here in a few days after I pick one to work on. I decided to work on Pope St. Pius X, because there's a highly respected Catholic school near my house that's named after him.

  1. Guiseppe Melchiorre Sarto - "Pope Saint Pius X" -- couldn't connect him to the tree. I found some Geni.com trees with more of his supposed ancestors, but nothing sourced, and I'm no good at researching Italian records.
by Joyce Rivette G2G6 Pilot (178k points)
edited by Joyce Rivette
+10 votes

This is a little out of my comfort zone. But will do what i am able to handle. will work on pope Leo XIII

 1. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Pecci-1   Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Pecci. Did what i was able  to but was not able to find a connection to the tree.

by Jennifer Robins G2G6 Pilot (248k points)
edited by Jennifer Robins
Thank you Jennifer, all help is greatly appreciated.  You've made some good improvements to his profile. I've added you to the list.
+7 votes
Yep...I don't feel comfortable doing Catholic Popes....so will  work on my own family of Popes even if they don't count lol P.s. not that i have anything against Catholics...I have a whole load of Scottish Catholics in my family and they were a nightmare to research!
by Michelle Wilkes G2G6 Pilot (168k points)
+7 votes

I finished a bio for one pope Pope John XII (and several members of his family, including: Theophylact I, TheodoraAlberic I, MaroziaAlberic II and Teofillato).

by Traci Thiessen G2G6 Pilot (293k points)
edited by Traci Thiessen
Thank you Traci,  I've added your name to the list.  Help is greatly appreciated.
+7 votes

I am working on John Paul 1 and family group.

Albino Luciani-3 - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Luciani-3

Worked on his family profiles a little as well

Father - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Luciani-4

Mother - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tancon-1 

Brother - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Luciani-5

Sister - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Luciani-6

by Janet Wild G2G6 Pilot (329k points)
edited by Janet Wild
+7 votes
Hi Bob, I'll try my best to improve all the needed biographies as possible.  This month is the Pope's, that's going to be fun!  I may not be able to remember how I got here, but I'll try to bookmark this page so I can list the name(s) as per your request.  If not, it's fine, the profiles will have my name attached in the activity section.  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.  Thanks Bob for all you do and continue to do to make WikiTree fun!

Sincerely,

Paula Ann

P.S.  Thank you for your military service.
by Paula Reinke G2G6 Pilot (102k points)
+6 votes
So many Popes, so little time...
by SJ Baty G2G Astronaut (1.2m points)

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