Editing Pope Benedict IX (section)

==Second pontificate (1045)==
Benedict IX's forces returned in April 1045 and expelled his rival, allowing Benedict to resume the papacy. Doubting his own ability to maintain his position, and wishing to marry his cousin, Benedict decided to [[papal renunciation|resign]] in May 1045.<ref name=":2" /> He consulted his godfather, the pious priest John Gratian, about the possibility of resigning. He offered to give up the papacy into the hands of his godfather if he would reimburse him for his election expenses.<ref name="Blumenthal">{{Cite book |last=Kleinhenz |first=Christopher |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E2CTAgAAQBAJ&dq=Pope+Gregory+VI&pg=PT488 |title=Medieval Italy: An Encyclopedia |date=2004-08-02 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-135-94880-1 |language=en |chapter=Gregory VI}}</ref> John Gratian paid him the money and was recognized as pope in his stead, as [[Pope Gregory VI|Gregory VI]].<ref name=":1" /> Peter Damian hailed the change with joy and wrote to the new pope, urging him to deal with the scandals of the church in Italy, singling out the wicked bishops of [[Pesaro]], of [[Città di Castello]] and of [[Fano]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Toke |first=Leslie |year=1911 |title=St. Peter Damian |url=https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11764a.htm |journal=[[Catholic Encyclopedia]] |volume=11 |via=[[New Advent]]}}</ref>