Rachel Evans
There have been several instances of Popes being imprisoned throughout history, including Pope Boniface VIII, who was imprisoned for a few days in 1303, and Pope Pius VII, who was kidnapped and held as a prisoner of Napoleon for five years from 1809. In January 2021, rumours circulated that Pope Francis had been arrested, however, these were proven to be false.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | July 5, 1809; June 1812; January 10, 2021 |
| Pope | Pius VII; Pope Francis |
| Arrested by | French forces; Napoleon |
| Location | Quirinal Palace in Rome |
| Reason | Refusal to renounce his central Italian kingdom and accept the emperor's claim to appoint bishops without Papal approval |
| Consequence | Catholicism was on the brink of a renewed Great Schism |
| Other | Pope Benedict XVI's butler was arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential letters |
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What You'll Learn
Pope Pius VII was imprisoned by Napoleon for five years
Pope Pius VII, born Barnabà Chiaramonti, was kidnapped by French forces from his private apartments in the Quirinal Palace in Rome on the night of 5 July 1809. He was taken prisoner by Napoleon and spent the following five years in captivity, refusing to renounce his central Italian kingdom and the Pope's authority to appoint bishops.
Pius VII was initially taken to Savona, where he spent almost three years in exile. Despite being isolated from the College of Cardinals and other church leaders, he managed to communicate with the Catholic world through a clandestine network that smuggled his messages out of Savona. During this time, he denounced all bishops who accepted appointments from the imperial government and encouraged passive resistance among Catholics.
In June 1812, Napoleon transferred Pius to the palace of Fontainebleau, where he remained a prisoner for almost two more years. The Pope's captivity and near-death cast a long shadow over the nineteenth century and perhaps beyond. His defiance of Napoleon saved the church from becoming a vassal state of France, and upon the collapse of the French Empire and Napoleon's exile to Elba in 1814, Pius VII was permitted to return to Rome.
However, his captivity deeply marked him, and he was no longer the affable and open-minded Pope he once was. He became unwilling to come to terms with the modern state and was hesitant when it came to reforming the Papal States. The kidnapping, imprisonment, and near-death of Pope Pius VII in 1812 averted a renewed Great Schism in Catholicism, which would have mirrored that of the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries when multiple Popes wrestled for leadership of the church.
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Pope Pius VII was kidnapped by French forces in 1809
The kidnapping was a significant event in the clash between the global leader of the Catholic Church and the Emperor Napoleon. Pope Pius VII had previously attempted to cooperate with the French Republic and Empire, attending Napoleon's coronation in 1804. However, their relationship deteriorated as Napoleon's ambitions grew. The Pope refused to align the Papal States with the Continental System, leading to France occupying and annexing the Papal States in 1809.
As a result of the kidnapping, Pope Pius VII was taken to Savona, near Genoa, where he spent almost three years in exile. Despite his isolation, he maintained communication with the Catholic world through clandestine networks. He denounced bishops who accepted appointments from the imperial government and encouraged passive resistance among Catholics. The Pope's captivity had a profound impact on him, and he returned to Rome in 1814 as a hero and defender of the faith, having saved the church from becoming a vassal state of France.
During his captivity, Pope Pius VII faced significant challenges. He was taken to the palace of Fontainebleau, where he remained an isolated prisoner for almost two years. In 1813, he was forced to sign the Concordat of Fontainebleau, relinquishing his temporal sovereignty. Despite this, he began to revoke the concessions shortly after. The collapse of the French Empire and Napoleon's exile ultimately allowed the Pope to return to Rome, where he resumed his role as a leader of the Catholic Church.
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Pope Benedict XVI's butler was arrested for leaking confidential letters
In 2012, Pope Benedict XVI's butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested by Vatican police on suspicion of leaking confidential letters addressed to the Pope. The leaked letters allegedly exposed corruption, abuse of power, and a lack of financial accountability at the Vatican. Gabriele was found to be in possession of a large number of confidential documents, which were seized by the Vatican police during a raid on his home in Vatican City.
Gabriele had worked as the Pope's butler since 2006 or 2007 and was responsible for helping the pontiff with various tasks throughout the day, including getting him dressed in the morning and accompanying him to meetings. According to Italy's daily La Repubblica, Gabriele was approached by the Pope's personal secretary, Monsignor Georg Ganswein, the day before his arrest. Ganswein warned Gabriele that investigators suspected him of stealing private memos, notes, and letters, and offered him a chance to confess. However, Gabriele denied any wrongdoing.
The Vatican's chief spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, confirmed Gabriele's arrest and the seizure of confidential documents. He also stated that it would have been "surreal" if the Pope's secretary had not approached Gabriele as suspicions arose. The situation intensified as documents continued to be leaked to Italian journalists, revealing power struggles inside the Vatican and its efforts to implement greater financial transparency.
The scandal, known as the Vatican leaks scandal, came to a head in May 2012 when journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi published a book entitled "His Holiness: The Secret Papers of Benedict XVI." The book included confidential letters and memos between the Pope and his personal secretary, painting a picture of the Vatican as riven with jealousy, intrigue, and factional fighting. It also revealed details about the Pope's personal finances, including tales of bribes made to secure an audience with him. Gabriele was convicted for his involvement in the case but was later pardoned by Pope Benedict.
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Pope Francis' arrest is a conspiracy theory
However, this report was quickly debunked by Reuters and other sources. Mountain Butorac, the founder of the blog Catholic Traveler, visited Saint Peter's Square the day after the purported arrest and showed that while the live cam feed appeared dark, the area was visibly lit up, indicating a video lighting issue. Additionally, there were no trustworthy reports of a blackout or the alleged gunshots, and Pope Francis has made several public appearances since then. The Reverend Father Roger Landry, the Permanent Observer of the Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations, confirmed that there was no truth to the claims of Pope Francis' arrest.
While this recent incident may be the most prominent example, it is not the first time that rumours or theories have spread regarding the arrest of a pope. There have been instances in history where popes were imprisoned or faced attempts to arrest them. For example, during the early Middle Ages, Byzantine emperors would sometimes send people to arrest or murder the Pope in Rome if they felt he was acting too independently. Pope Pius VII was kidnapped by French forces in 1809 and spent nearly three years in exile, refusing to renounce his central Italian kingdom or accept Napoleon's claims over bishop appointments.
It is important to verify information from trustworthy sources and not spread misinformation or unfounded conspiracy theories. While the idea of a pope's arrest may spark intrigue or speculation, it is crucial to separate fact from fiction and rely on credible evidence to support any claims.
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Pope Boniface VIII was imprisoned by Philip IV of France
Pope Boniface VIII was a powerful figure who made strong claims to temporal as well as spiritual power. He often involved himself in foreign affairs, which led to bitter quarrels with several powerful figures of the time, including Philip IV of France.
Philip IV sought to reinforce the nation-state by imposing taxes on the clergy and barring them from the administration of the law. This brought him into conflict with Pope Boniface, who excommunicated Philip in 1303. In response, Philip's chief minister, Guillaume de Nogaret, denounced Boniface as a heretical criminal. On 7 September 1303, an army led by Nogaret and Sciarra Colonna attacked Boniface at his palace in Anagni, next to the cathedral.
The Pope responded to these attacks with a bull dated 8 September 1303, in which he again excommunicated all persons impeding French clerics from coming to the Holy See, including Philip IV, though not by name. The conflict between Pope Boniface VIII and Philip IV of France occurred during a time of expanding nation-states and the consolidation of power by monarchs.
Pope Boniface VIII was not imprisoned, but he was attacked and faced significant opposition from Philip IV of France due to their conflicting views on the role of the church and state.
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Frequently asked questions
False reports of Pope Francis's arrest were circulated in January 2021. However, the Pope led the Angelus prayer the next day and has since made several public appearances.
Yes, there are several instances of Popes being imprisoned. In 1303, Pope Boniface VIII was imprisoned by Philip IV of France. Pope Pius VII was kidnapped by Napoleon in 1809 and remained his prisoner for five years.
Pope Pius VII refused to renounce his central Italian kingdom and did not accept the emperor’s claim that he could appoint bishops without Papal approval.
Pope Pius VII was held in exile in Savona for almost three years. Despite being isolated, he communicated with the Catholic world through a clandestine network and denounced all bishops who accepted appointments from the imperial government.
Yes, there are a few other instances of Popes being arrested or imprisoned. Pope Martin I was arrested and banished to the Crimea by Emperor Constans II. The French also imprisoned Popes Pius VI and Pius XII.
