Pope Callixtus III

Imagine a very important leader called a Pope! Pope Callixtus III was one of these leaders a long, long time ago. He wasn't always a pope, though.

Before that, he was a professor who taught law, which is like the rules of a country. He also worked for kings, helping them solve problems. He became pope in 1455 and led for a few years until 1458.

He had a different name when he was born: Alonso de Borja.

One super cool thing Pope Callixtus III did was start a tradition that still happens today! During a big fight called the siege of Belgrade, he asked everyone to ring church bells at noon. This was a reminder for people to stop and pray for the soldiers fighting bravely. Even now, you can hear bells ring at midday in many churches. It’s a special way to remember those prayers from long ago.

Did you know Pope Callixtus III helped clear the name of Joan of Arc? She was a brave young woman who helped her country in a war. Sadly, she was treated unfairly. Pope Callixtus III ordered a new trial for her, and it showed that she was innocent all along! This was a very important moment, showing that fairness can win, even after a long time.

Pope Callixtus III loved his family very much. He made sure his nephews, who were like his cousins, got important jobs too. He even made them cardinals, which is a very high position in the church. One of his nephews became a pope later and was called Pope Alexander VI. It shows that sometimes, family can be very important in big jobs!