Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church has a long and often bloody history, with several popes suffering violent deaths. The circumstances of these deaths have ranged from martyrdom to war and even alleged murder at the hands of jealous lovers. While the exact number of assassinated popes is not clear, there have been numerous popes who are believed to have been deliberately killed. The early years of the Catholic Church were particularly turbulent, with popes facing persecution and violent opposition. The death of Pope Francis, the first Latin American pope, brought the process of choosing a new pope into the spotlight once again.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Total number of Popes in Catholic Church history | 266 |
| Approximate date of first pope | 30 AD |
| Name of first pope | St. Peter |
| Number of popes who died violently | 10+ |
| Names of popes who died violently | Dionysius, Felix I, Eutychian, Caius, Marcellinus, Marcellus I, Eusebius, John I, Martin I, Pius I, John VIII, Celestine V, Boniface VIII, Sixtus II, John XII, John XIV, Pontian, Stephen VI, John X, Formosus, Sixtus I, Linus, Anacletus or Cletus, Clement I, Evaristus, Telesphorus, Anicetus |
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What You'll Learn
Pope John VIII was poisoned and clubbed to death
Pope John VIII, the 107th Pope, was poisoned and clubbed to death by his own clerics in 882, bringing an end to his ten-year reign. John VIII was a deacon of the Roman church when he was elected on December 14, 872, and was considered one of the ablest popes of the 9th century.
John VIII's papacy was marked by challenges, including defending Italy against the Saracens and dealing with the complex political landscape of the time. He formed several alliances, including with the Frankish Emperor Louis II, and supported King Charles II the Bald of France, also known as Emperor Charles the Bald, against the Saracens. John VIII also promoted the use of the Slavic language for the liturgy, allowing the Bible to be translated into Slavonic and the liturgy to be performed in the language.
The motives behind Pope John VIII's assassination are believed to be connected to the turbulent political and religious landscape of the time. Theories include disputes with local nobility, frustration with his policies or alliances, his exhaustion of the papal treasury, his lack of support among the Carolingians, his gestures towards the Byzantines, and his failure to stop Saracen raids. The identities of those responsible for the assassination remain unclear, with contemporary sources providing limited and sometimes conflicting information.
John VIII's death was the first instance of a pope being assassinated in history.
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Pope Stephen VI was strangled in 897
Pope Stephen VI's death by strangulation in 897 was a consequence of his conduct towards the remains of Pope Formosus, his predecessor's predecessor. Formosus had died in 896, and in January 897, Pope Stephen VI conducted the Cadaver Synod, an ecclesiastical trial of Formosus' corpse. Formosus' rotting body was exhumed, dressed in papal vestments, propped up on the papal throne, and put on trial for various charges, including perjury and illegally presiding over more than one diocese at the same time. The fingers Formosus had used in blessings were severed, and his body was dragged through the streets of Rome and discarded into the Tiber River.
The Cadaver Synod was instigated by Guy IV of Spoleto, who had recovered his authority in Rome at the beginning of 897. Stephen was a partisan of Lambert of Spoleto, son of Guy III, and had been made bishop of Anagni by Formosus, possibly against his will. Formosus had also crowned Lambert co-ruler of the Holy Roman Empire in 892, but in 896, he abandoned the Spoletans and crowned the East Frankish king Arnulf Holy Roman Emperor instead. This ignited a conflict between the feuding factions, and the Cadaver Synod was an unprecedented council effected by the Spoletans' hatred for Formosus.
The macabre spectacle of the Cadaver Synod turned public opinion in Rome against Stephen, and he was deposed and imprisoned. An insurrection removed him from office, and he was deprived of his papal insignia. He was strangled in prison in July or August 897, and his death ended a short but tumultuous papacy lasting from May 896 until August 897.
Pope Stephen VI's death was not an isolated incident of violence against Catholic popes. A number of popes have been martyred, murdered, or assassinated throughout history, with some dying in circumstances that some believe to be murder. For example, Pope John VIII was poisoned and then clubbed to death, while Pope John XII allegedly died at the hands of a jealous husband.
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Pope Celestine V was allegedly murdered by his successor
The Catholic Church has had a long history of popes who have been martyred, assassinated, or died under mysterious circumstances. One such pope is Pope Celestine V, who was allegedly murdered by his successor.
Pope Celestine V, born Pietro Angelerio (or Pietro da Morrone), was elected pope in the Catholic Church's last non-conclave papal election, ending a two-year impasse. He was a Benedictine monk and hermit who founded the order of the Celestines, a branch of the Benedictine order. Celestine V was known for his ascetic lifestyle and his desire for solitude, which he pursued in remote caves and mountain tops. He became pope against his will and served for only five months before resigning, citing his desire to return to his humble, pre-papal life.
After his resignation, Celestine V attempted to retire to his old life of solitude, but his successor, Pope Boniface VIII, had other plans. Boniface ordered Celestine's arrest, and he was captured after several months of evading his pursuers. He was confined in a narrow room in the tower of the castle of Fumone, where he spent his final days fasting and praying.
The circumstances of Celestine V's death are shrouded in mystery and suspicion. While some accused Boniface VIII of having him killed, others, like pathologists at San Salvatore Hospital in L'Aquila, refute this claim. They examined Celestine's remains and found no evidence of foul play. The cause of death could not be determined, but contemporary sources mention pneumonia and possible hemiplegia (paralysis of one side of the body).
The accusations of Boniface's involvement in Celestine's death may be due to the conflict between the two popes. Boniface annulled nearly all of Celestine's official acts and dissolved the order of extreme Spirituals that Celestine had permitted to live as hermits. Additionally, Celestine's enemies got their revenge by having him canonized as a saint in 1313, further fueling speculation about the role of his successor in his demise.
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Pope Sixtus II was beheaded by Emperor Valerian's soldiers
Pope Sixtus II, also known as Pope Xystus II, was bishop of Rome from 31 August 257 until his death on 6 August 258. He was one of the earliest martyrs of the Roman Catholic Church. Sixtus II was beheaded by Emperor Valerian's soldiers on 6 August 258, along with several deacons, including Januarius, Vincentius, Magnus, Stephanus, Felicissimus, Agapitus, and Lawrence of Rome.
The persecution of Christians by Emperor Valerian was the backdrop to this tragic event. The emperor had issued a decree condemning all Christian priests, bishops, and deacons to death. Sixtus II, aware of the danger, attempted to evade capture by assembling his congregation in the cemetery of Praetextatus on the Appian Way. However, while delivering a sermon, he was seized by the emperor's soldiers.
There is some debate about whether Sixtus II was beheaded immediately or if he was first brought before a court and then led back to the cemetery for execution. The latter theory is considered more likely. Nonetheless, his death is a stark reminder of the turbulent times faced by the early Catholic Church.
Sixtus II is remembered as a revered martyr of the early church. He is also known for his efforts to restore relations with the African and Eastern churches, which had been severed due to disputes over the rebaptism of heretics. Additionally, he is believed to have authored several writings, including the pseudo-Cyprianic "Ad Novatianum" and the "`Sentences` of Sextus," although the latter claim has been disputed.
The death of Pope Sixtus II is a significant event in the history of the Catholic Church, reflecting the challenges faced by the early Christians and the resilience of their faith in the face of persecution. His martyrdom continues to be commemorated, honoring his sacrifice and contribution to the church.
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Pope John Paul I's death is suspected to be murder
While the Catholic Pope is generally respected in modern times, this has not always been the case. Several popes have been murdered or assassinated throughout history, and many others have died under violent circumstances.
One such pope whose death is suspected to be murder is Pope John Paul I, who died unexpectedly in September 1978, just 33 days into his papacy. He was 65 years old and believed to be in good health, although he had experienced heart problems a few years prior and was taking medication. The Vatican's account of the events surrounding his death has been called into question, with discrepancies and inconsistencies in their statements regarding who found the body, what he had been reading, and the timing and possibility of an autopsy. These irregularities have fuelled conspiracy theories suggesting that his death was not due to natural causes.
One theory posits that John Paul I was assassinated by high-level Church officials, including Cardinal Sebastiano Baggio, because he was about to order an investigation into the Vatican Bank, exposing financial scandals involving Freemasons, the mafia, and money laundering. Another theory implicates Archbishop Paul Marcinkus, claiming that he knocked out the pope with valium-laced tea before poisoning him with cyanide to conceal a massive stock fraud run by Vatican insiders. The involvement of the CIA has also been speculated, suggesting that they wanted a pope more aligned with US foreign policy interests.
The Vatican's decision to embalm John Paul I's body immediately was unusual and raised suspicions that it was done to prevent the detection of poison. However, forensic scientists have refuted this claim, stating that early embalming would likely not have hindered the detection of poison in the blood. Despite these conflicting theories and ambiguities in the official narrative, the truth about John Paul I's death may never be known.
John Paul I's death remains a subject of intrigue, with many choosing to focus on his accomplishments as the "smiling pope" rather than the murky circumstances surrounding his demise. In 2022, Pope Francis beatified John Paul I, marking the last formal step before possible sainthood.
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Frequently asked questions
While it is unclear exactly how many popes have been assassinated, there have been several popes who have been murdered or died under violent circumstances.
Pope Stephen VI, Pope Formosus, Pope John VIII, Pope Celestine V, Pope Boniface VIII, Pope John XII, Pope John XIV, Pope Martin I, Pope Sixtus II, Pope Dionysius, Pope Felix I, Pope Eutychian, Pope Caius, Pope Marcellinus, Pope Marcellus I, Pope Eusebius, Pope John I, Pope Pius I, Pope Pontian, Pope Sixtus I, Pope Clement I, Pope Evaristus, Pope Anacletus or Cletus, Pope Linus, and Pope Telesphorus are all believed to have been assassinated.
The causes of these assassinations vary and include political and religious conflicts, disputes with local nobility, personal vendettas, and frustration with the pope's policies or alliances. Some popes were also martyred for their faith, while others were victims of violent attacks or abductions.
