Pope Clement XIII (248º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy

Who Was Pope Clement XIII?

Among the 267 popes, Clement XIII is number 248, remembered for the years 6 July 1758–2 February 1769 in the early modern and Counter-Reformation era. Citizen of the Republic of Venice. Use the sections below to move from a one-line summary of Clement XIII to a usable historical and spiritual picture.

Early Life & Background

Before election he was known as Carlo della Torre di Rezzonico. Born 7 March 1693 Venice, Republic of Venice, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.

Historical Context

Clement XIII (#undefined) guided Catholics through Trent's reforms, global missions, and nation-states that challenged older papal temporal claims. Provided the famous fig leaves on nude male statues in the Vatican.

Pontificate & Key Events

The pontificate (6 July 1758–2 February 1769) centered on governance during the early modern and Counter-Reformation era. During his pontificate (or at the end of his predecessor's pontificate), the general prohibition against works advocating heliocentrism was removed from the Index of Forbidden Books, although the specific ban on uncensored versions of Galileo's Dialogue and Copernicus's De Revolutionibus remained.

Papal Acts & Achievements

Acts associated with Clement XIII (#248, 6 July 1758–2 February 1769) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.

Key Highlights

• 248th pope of the Catholic Church
• Pontificate: 6 July 1758–2 February 1769
• Shepherded the Church during the early modern and Counter-Reformation era
• Successor of St. Peter in the official Catholic list

Legacy in the Catholic Church

Clement XIII remains pope 248º in the Annuario Pontificio. Set against the early modern and Counter-Reformation era, Clement XIII's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.

Why Catholics Study This Pope Today

Catholics who open a page on Clement XIII usually want more than a birth-death line — they want to know what #248 did inside the early modern and Counter-Reformation era. Start with the concrete record: Defended the Jesuits in the bull Apostolicum pascendi(1765). Provided the famous fig leaves on nude male statues in the Vatican. Where bulls, conciliar acts, or encyclicals survive from this reign, they repay readers who want primary sources rather than summaries alone. Use the neighboring pontiff links below to test whether Clement XIII's reign looks unique or typical for the early modern and Counter-Reformation era.

Place in the Line of Succession

Clement XIII followed Pope Benedict XIV (247º, 17 August 1740–3 May 1758) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope Clement XIV (249º, 19 May 1769–22 September 1774), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.