Page "Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor" Paragraph 42

Between 998 and 1000, Otto III made several pilgrimages.

In 999, Otto made a pilgrimage from Gargano to Benevento, where he met with the hermit monk Romuald and the Abbot Nilus the Younger ( then a highly venerated religious figure ) in order to atone for having executed Crescentius II after promising his safety.

During this particular pilgrimage, his cousin Pope Gregory V died in Rome after a brief illness.

Upon learning of Gregory V's death, Otto III installed his long-time tutor Gerbert of Aurillac as Pope Sylvester II.

The use of this papal name was not without cause: it recalled the first pope of this name, who had allegedly created the " Christian Empire " together with Roman Emperor Constantine the Great.

This was part of Otto III's campaign to further link himself with both the Roman Empire and the Church.