Being the second-consecutive pontiff to come from one of Rome’s great families, Pietro Francesco Orsini was thankfully one of the good eggs of the Orsini crew. He entered the Dominicans at a young age, taking the name “Vincenzo Maria” upon arrival. Pope Clement X named him a cardinal in 1672, despite him being just 23 years old, before he became bishop of Manfredonia and Cesena. He was named Archbishop of Benevento in 1686, a post he would hold until his election. 

Taking his name to honor Benedict XI, a fellow Dominican, this pope emerged out of another long, drawn-out conclave, this time split four ways among Austria, France, Spain, and the Romans. Benedict refused to be elected until the last ballot, and it was only after several hours of persuasion that he said (probably), “FINE I’ll take the job.” Though bearing all the holiness a pope should possess, Benedict was woefully ill-equipped to rule in temporal matters. In fact, the only real blemish on him was delegating too much, especially to the notorious Cardinal Coscia, who severely abused his office for financial gain. Benedict died on February 21, 1730 at the age of 81. 

Benedict XIII is best known for having no real interest for the political side of his new gig, instead wishing to focus on the spiritual and ecclesiastical aspects. The pope started by cracking down on unnecessary extravagance among the cardinals, enforced a dress code among clergy, and even considered bringing back public penances! He bore a fatherly and pastoral zeal for his flock from beginning to end, and is the man to thank for beatifying St. Vincent de Paul and canonizing St. Aloysius Gonzaga, Pope St. Gregory VII, St. John Nepomuk, St. John of the Cross, and St. Margaret of Cortona (among others, like Sts. Boris & Gleb). 

Fun Fact: Pope Benedict XIII is one of just three pontiffs in history (Pius VII, John Paul I) to have been declared “Servant of God,” indicating that his life was deemed to have been one of heroic virtue, and that his cause for sainthood is worth diving deeper into. His cause was opened in 1755, stalled until being revitalized in 1931, closed in 1940, then finally reopened in 2004. The official diocesan process was begun in early 2012, so there’s a decent chance we could see a “Venerable” or a “Blessed” before Benedict’s name in the coming decades.