A Dead Pope Was Unearthed And Made To Stand Trial In 897 C.E. So The Living Pope At The Vatican Could Find The Deceased Pope Guilty Of Usurping The Papacy
In 897 C.E., the corpse of a pope who had been dead for months was unearthed and made to stand trial in a courtroom presided by the current living pope at the Vatican.
The trial became known as Cadaver Synod. The whole purpose of the trial was for Pope Stephen VI to find the deceased Pope Formosus guilty.
Stephen VI had the body dressed in religious robes and propped up on the papal throne for the trial. He even went so far as to appoint a deacon to speak on behalf of the corpse while he accused the silent Formosus of various crimes.
“The old man’s body, like a monstrous doll, might nod and bend while the attendants supported it or collapse in a ghastly bundle if they left it alone, but it made no sound; and the deacon would probably be wary in his defense, for there were dark holes nearby, other than sepulchers,” said historian George Ives.
The scene was made even more dramatic when an earthquake shook the room during the middle of the trial. The natural disaster did nothing to stop Stephen VI from moving forward with the case and giving his final verdict. Of course, Formosus was found guilty of usurping the papacy.
The dead pope was stripped of his fancy robes and dressed in rags. Then, the three fingers he used for giving blessings were cut off.
All his acts as pope were annulled, and his ordinations were declared invalid. He was buried for the second time in a cemetery for strangers outside of the Church’s lands.
Afterward, Stephen VI had Formosus disinterred yet again and thrown into the Tiber River, which was the place where ancient Romans traditionally disposed of notorious criminals.
His body was said to have been discovered by a fisherman, who returned it to its tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica, and his name was cleared.
Aliaksei – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purposes only
Overall, the people of Rome were disgusted and outraged by the trial. A few months later, there was a riot. Stephen VI was put in prison and strangled to death. His reign lasted barely over a year.
Obviously, that whole cadaver production was not appreciated. So, why did he think it was a good idea?
During this era, being a pope with the power to crown the Holy Roman Emperor was like participating in a dangerous, high-stakes game, and skillful political maneuvers were necessary in order to prolong your life.
Stephen’s successor, Romanus, was the pope for only 92 days, and Romanus’ successor, Theodore II, died after less than three weeks.
The dead body of a pope was considered a holy relic that could still listen to and help people with their needs.
In this way, these relics lived on as members of the community. Stephen VI wanted to kill Formosus for good by tossing his body into the river. The trial gave him the means to do so.
The Cadaver Synod was the last posthumous trial held by the Church. Today, such an event would be unimaginable in the Vatican.
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