Podcasts about pope stephen vi

⏱️ 00:00–15:00 — Getting Started & Goofy Gear Tech issues and Patreon shout-outs. Adult diapers, obesity trends, and health rants. Jim Carrey's CIA-style torture in The Grinch sparks talk on MKUltra and dark Hollywood rituals. Satirical “news segment” featuring absurd celebrity correspondents. ⏱️ 15:00–30:00 — Hidden Cities and Giant Lies 15-year-old discovers lost Mayan city via Google Earth and star charts. Rumors of Egyptian relics in Grand Canyon caves. Smithsonian conspiracy and Powell's hidden expeditions. Connection to suppressed giant skeletons and early 20th-century cover-ups. ⏱️ 30:00–45:00 — Doom Deep Dive: AI, Gnosticism, and Gorilla Tactics Lady Gaga as Pluto, Saturn worship, and music industry occultism. Deep fake paranoia and Gnostic cosmology. Story of Samael, the demiurge, and metaphysical manipulation. 100 humans vs. 1 silverback gorilla — tactics, sacrifice, and absurd strategy to win. ⏱️ 45:00–60:00 — Dino Deceit and Moon Mayhem T-Rex possibly mistaken for ancient dragon. Elite-only fossil viewing raises questions. Remote viewer's journey to the moon; the moon as an artificial object. Pleiadians encourage off-world perception. Magnetic nanoparticles self-assembling into dinosaur-like battle forms. ⏱️ 60:00–75:00 — Wheel of Doom & Holy Absurdities Wheel of Doom segment introduces the tale of Pope Stephen VI. Puts a corpse on trial; removes its ring finger. Banter about corpse trials, AI popes, and Vatican psyops. Mike recounts a personal remote viewing experience. ⏱️ 75:00–90:00 — Doom 2.0 and Nanobot Panic Excitement builds for “Doomscrolling 2.0” and thicker video segments. Philosophical musing on punk rock naming and reclaiming slurs. Continued remote viewing speculation and Pleiadian messages. Deep concern over nanoparticles in beach sand forming aggressive shapes. Final thoughts on being “doomed” in the face of bizarre tech and ancient truths.   Watch Full Episodes on Sam's channels: - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SamTripoli - Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/SamTripoli Sam Tripoli: Tin Foil Hat Podcast Website: SamTripoli.com Twitter: https://x.com/samtripoli Midnight Mike: The OBDM Podcast Website: https://ourbigdumbmouth.com/ Twitter: https://x.com/obdmpod Doom Scrollin' Telegram: https://t.me/+La3v2IUctLlhYWUx  

Charlemagne, The Father of Europe, died in the year 814 and left only one surviving son to take the helm of the Carolingian Empire, which spanned the lion's share of the European continent. But his heir, Louis the Pious, had three sons, who each got a parcel of the empire when he died. Then those kings had children of their own, dividing the kingdom up until factions and branches of Charlemagne's lineage occupied independent power centers from the border of modern Denmark all the way down to Italy south of Rome. Our story today involves several of those Carolingian kings, and two priests who would become popes. Bishop Formosus served the Vatican as a diplomat on numerous missions in Europe, developing close ties to the Frankish kings to the north of Rome, the sons of the sons of Charlemagne. When his winding road to the Papacy finally made him Pope Formosus, he found himself at odds - even militarily - with the southern wing of the family, the Dukes of Spoleto, the sons of the daughters of Charlemagne. After Formosa's death, the Dukes of Spoleto reasserted their power, installing a new pope, Stephen VI, who exacted the southern family's revenge on Formosus and their northern kin by exhuming Formosus's rotten corpse and holding an infamously gruesome public trial. Formosus was obviously convicted, but the episode condemned Stephen VI in the moment and for the ages. Listen ad-free at patreon.com/trashyroyalspodcast. To advertise on this podcast, reach out to info@amplitudemediapartners.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, we explore the shocking Cadaver Synod of 897 AD, a bizarre trial of the deceased Pope Formosus conducted by his successor, Pope Stephen VI. Driven by political intrigue and personal vendetta, the scandalous event involved exhuming Formosus' corpse, leading to widespread outrage and significant repercussions for the papacy. Join us as we delve into this dark chapter of church history and its implications on papal power dynamics.

In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim explore one of the most bizarre episodes in medieval history: the trial of Pope Formosus' corpse. Discover how this 9th-century pope was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and put on trial by his successor. Learn about the political intrigue, the strange customs of the time, and the ultimate fate of the cadaver. This episode delves into the strange and dark world of medieval papal politics.Key Points: Introduction to the trial of Pope Formosus. The political context of the 9th-century papacy. Details of the trial, including the role of Pope Stephen VI. The aftermath and legacy of this bizarre event. The significance of relics and their impact on medieval religious practices. Resources Mentioned: Historical accounts of Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI. Articles and books on medieval papal history. Academic research on relics and medieval justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim explore one of the most bizarre episodes in medieval history: the trial of Pope Formosus' corpse. Discover how this 9th-century pope was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and put on trial by his successor. Learn about the political intrigue, the strange customs of the time, and the ultimate fate of the cadaver. This episode delves into the strange and dark world of medieval papal politics. Key Points: Introduction to the trial of Pope Formosus. The political context of the 9th-century papacy. Details of the trial, including the role of Pope Stephen VI. The aftermath and legacy of this bizarre event. The significance of relics and their impact on medieval religious practices. Resources Mentioned: Historical accounts of Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI. Articles and books on medieval papal history. Academic research on relics and medieval justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim explore one of the most bizarre episodes in medieval history: the trial of Pope Formosus' corpse. Discover how this 9th-century pope was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and put on trial by his successor. Learn about the political intrigue, the strange customs of the time, and the ultimate fate of the cadaver. This episode delves into the strange and dark world of medieval papal politics.Key Points: Introduction to the trial of Pope Formosus. The political context of the 9th-century papacy. Details of the trial, including the role of Pope Stephen VI. The aftermath and legacy of this bizarre event. The significance of relics and their impact on medieval religious practices. Resources Mentioned: Historical accounts of Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI. Articles and books on medieval papal history. Academic research on relics and medieval justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim explore one of the most bizarre episodes in medieval history: the trial of Pope Formosus' corpse. Discover how this 9th-century pope was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and put on trial by his successor. Learn about the political intrigue, the strange customs of the time, and the ultimate fate of the cadaver. This episode delves into the strange and dark world of medieval papal politics. Key Points: Introduction to the trial of Pope Formosus. The political context of the 9th-century papacy. Details of the trial, including the role of Pope Stephen VI. The aftermath and legacy of this bizarre event. The significance of relics and their impact on medieval religious practices. Resources Mentioned: Historical accounts of Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI. Articles and books on medieval papal history. Academic research on relics and medieval justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim explore one of the most bizarre episodes in medieval history: the trial of Pope Formosus' corpse. Discover how this 9th-century pope was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and put on trial by his successor. Learn about the political intrigue, the strange customs of the time, and the ultimate fate of the cadaver. This episode delves into the strange and dark world of medieval papal politics.Key Points: Introduction to the trial of Pope Formosus. The political context of the 9th-century papacy. Details of the trial, including the role of Pope Stephen VI. The aftermath and legacy of this bizarre event. The significance of relics and their impact on medieval religious practices. Resources Mentioned: Historical accounts of Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI. Articles and books on medieval papal history. Academic research on relics and medieval justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of Stupiracy, Scott and Tim explore one of the most bizarre episodes in medieval history: the trial of Pope Formosus' corpse. Discover how this 9th-century pope was exhumed, dressed in papal robes, and put on trial by his successor. Learn about the political intrigue, the strange customs of the time, and the ultimate fate of the cadaver. This episode delves into the strange and dark world of medieval papal politics. Key Points: Introduction to the trial of Pope Formosus. The political context of the 9th-century papacy. Details of the trial, including the role of Pope Stephen VI. The aftermath and legacy of this bizarre event. The significance of relics and their impact on medieval religious practices. Resources Mentioned: Historical accounts of Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI. Articles and books on medieval papal history. Academic research on relics and medieval justice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE VATICAN ARCHIVES 1. The Chief Exorcist of the Vatican Performed 100,000+ Exorcisms Although exorcism is believed to be a practice only seen in horror movies and is the Middle Ages, the practice continues to be alive in the Catholic Church. Father Gabriele Amorth is a late Priest and served as the chief exorcist of the Vatican. He served for 60 years, and is believed to have performed approximately 160,000 exorcisms. The exorcism rite, however, is not just limited to the late chief exorcist. It has been performed by various Popes over the years. In 2018, BBC reported that the Vatican welcomed 250 priests from across the world to an annual workshop. 2. The Vatican Helped Nazi War Criminals Escape the Allied Forces After the victory of the Allied Forces in Germany to end World War II, the Nazis were forced to seek refuge outside Europe. Thousands of Nazis managed to escape to South American countries, specifically Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. Harvard researcher Gerald Steinacher wrote a book that shows travel documents pointing to the Vatican having helped the Nazis travel to these countries. Steinacher argues that it was done with the hope of reviving European Christianity and fear of the growing influence of the Soviet Union. The Vatican, however, has refused to comment on these claims. 3. The Vatican Made Money from the Holocaust In addition to aiding the escape of thousands of Nazis from Europe, the Vatican was also involved in helping smuggle Nazi looted art, golf, and other property belonging to Jewish families.  Gerald Posner, an American journalist, says that Bernardino Nogara, the financial advisor to the Vatican is believed to have been one of Nazi spies. He is believed to have instituted a horrifying scheme that allowed the Vatican to invest money in Italian insurance companies that kept the assets from the life insurance plans of the murdered Jewish families. Since the Vatican was an investor and not a direct insurer, they did not need to return any of the money made using the scheme. 4. Scandals of the Vatican Bank The Vatican Bank, also called the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR) has been involved in numerous scandals.  The most controversial is their dealing with Hitler. Gerald Posner, a historian, points out that the Vatican received Church Tax from Hitler every year.  A substantial amount of money was paid to the IOR, so that it cannot be tracked by western banks. The IOR was used to store billions of dollars, the details of which have never been publicly revealed. 5. Vatileaks A book named ‘His Holiness' was released in 2012, which is based on the leaked secret papers of Pope Benedict. The private documents were leaked by Benedict XVI's own butler to the author, Gianluigi Nuzzi. After reviewing these documents, an internal investigation was held. The investigation revealed that individuals who were not from the Vaitcan were blackmailing gay bishops since they had broken their celibacy vows. Pope Benedict CVI went on to resign from the Papacy in 2013 due to this scandal.  6. The Apostolic Penitentiary The Apostolic Penitentiary is a secret tribunal that investigates so-called ‘heinous' crimes of individuals. It was supposedly found in 1179, and was kept secret until 2009. Only the pope can grant absolution to people brought to this tribunal. Examples of sins include attempting to assassinate the pope, a priest exposing the sin or identity of a person who has confessed to them, and so on. The pope acts as the head of this tribunal, and is called the Major Penitentiary, and can either offer absolution, or let the automatic excommunication stand.  7. Dead Man on Trial In 897 AD, the Catholic Church put a dead man on trial. Known as the 'Cadaver Synod,' the posthumous trial of Pope Formosus was held by Pope Stephen VI, his successor. Formosus was accused of usurping the papacy,  despite being dead for 7 months by that point. The body of the pope was exhumed, dressed in ecclesiastical attire, and brought to the papal court for judgment. A deacon was even appointed to speak on the dead Pope's behalf. He was found guilty; all his acts as pope was declared null and void; his body was stripped off the garments and dressed in rags; his three fingers of benediction were cut off and his body was cast into River Tiber, where ancient Romans disposed off their infamous criminals for centuries.   Conspiracy Theories About the Vatican's Secret Archives 1. Jesus Does Not Exist There are reports that the Archives contain communication between Emperor Nero and Saint Paul regarding the existence of Jesus. Some clergy believe that the Vatican is hiding proof that Jesus Christ did not exist.  2. Evidence of Extraterrestrial Life Rumors suggest that the Vatican holds proof of the existence of extraterrestrial life, in the form of extraterrestrial skulls. Some sources say that the Archives contain proof that the pope is conspiring extraterrestrial beings to implant everyone on Earth with computer chips.  3. Three Secrets of Fatima The controversial Third Secret of Fatima is believed to be a secret document hidden within the Archives. In 1917, three children from Portugal received prophecies, one of which was witnessed by thousands of people. The supposed suppression of this Third Secret fueled rumors that its contents were regarding a nuclear holocaust, natural disaster, and so on. The release of the contents of this Secret in 2000 did not do much to quell speculation.  4. Home to the Largest Collection of Pornography Some conspiracy theorists believe that the Vatican Archives contain the largest collection of pornography in the world. Copenhagen's Museum of Erotica confirms these speculations, in addition to writings by National Review founder William Buckley Jr, and scholar Camilla Paglia.  5. They are Controlled by the Illuminati Some people believe that despite their dissolution in the medieval times, the Illuminati has solely built itself up, with its members placed in some of the most powerful positions across the world. One such powerful office is the Vatican, where many of its prominent members are believed to be part of the Illuminati.  6. It is Home to a Time Machine Believed to have been built by an Italian scientist and priest, Father Pellegrino Maria Ernetti, the Chronovisor is a device that apparently allows people to view the future and past. Although there is no record of such a device, some people believe it is hidden somewhere in the Archives.

Welcome back metalheads to a brand new metal album review on The Great Metal Debate podcast. Originally I had planned to review the new album from the Netherlands black metal band Asagraum, but I found something at the last second that completely blew that away. Thanks to the website Angry Metal Guy, I spotted an album cover that intrigued me enough to check it out; especially since the artwork depicts a very weird moment in history. In 897AD, Pope Stephen VI dug up the 9 month old corpse of his predecessor Pope Formosus, dressed him up and brought him to a court trial. You can't always judge a CD by its album cover but to my delightful surprise, the band in question is a wonderful cross between melodic death metal and folk metal. Hey Gomthog, I am 100% certain that you would fall in love with this Denmark based band called Sylvatica and their new album titled Cadaver Synod. This amazing release was dropped on October 20th through Target Records. This is my introduction to the band but they have apparently been around since 2009 and I'm just now hearing of them. The opening track "Strife" starts off with a church sounding organ that sounds ominous in an upbeat sort of way. The guitars coming in behind it with those groovy melodies pretty much tell you exactly what you're getting into. While the vocal style isn't really my type, the music definitely makes up for it. The harsh vocals of the lead guitarist Jarden sounds like he would be in the dwarf themed folk metal band Windrose and the backing shout vocals of bassist Thomas Haxen give off that extra folky feel. Next we have the song "Papa Poltergeist" which has the higher ping notes on a keyboard and strange synths behind the riffs make it the perfect music for any Halloween party. Especially the beginning of the song "Scapegoat" which has the perfect spooky vibe and it reminds me of Scooby-Doo and the gang walking through a graveyard. I love how it has an almost 80s power metal guitar riff in it which sounds larger than life. My only critique is that the word "Scapegoat" gets shouted a little too much making it the most repetitious song on the album, but not enough to annoy me. It's still an easy listen that never really feels like a drag. I skipped over a few tracks to make that point but let's go back to the song "Pope Innocent VIII" as I believe it to be another highlight of this album. The very audible keyboards used throughout this album isn't credited by the metal-archives (my main source of information) so I don't know exactly who to praise. However I will say that it's my favorite part of this gorgeous album. Then we have a track titled "Song of the Leper" which is a beautiful folk metal song complete with a full choir. The first lyric of the song is "Spare a coin for your leper ..." which should remind most people of that viral song from the Netflix show The Witcher. If you don't immediately think of "Toss a coin to your witcher" when you hear it, then maybe you're not keeping up on modern pop culture references. The album concludes with an acoustic version of the song and I can't decide which one I enjoy more. But let's not forget the song before the bonus track. "In The Eyes Of God" has a lot of power metal influence musically but the vocals have more of the melodic death metal tone that I more than approve of. That acoustic part before the final guitar solo was very pleasing to my ears. Again, this band was a very pleasant surprise and I'm glad I stumbled upon them. I will be listening to their previous 2 records Evil Seeds and Ash And Snow for sure after recording this review because I might be missing out of some great material that I should be catching up on. I give this one a 8.5 out of 10. Make sure you buy this record on Bandcamp and show your support for these guys. They are a hidden gem that unfortunately many people might end up skipping over. If you're listening to this review, I can't recommend enough that you give these guys a chance.

We're back! Ever hated someone so much that you dug up their corpse and accused them of betrayal in front of a crowd of people? Then you need to step up your hater game. Join Scott and Zo on their journey to learn about the ninth century feud between Pope Formosus and Pope Stephen VI that only started after Formosus was dead, buried and definitely a rotting corpse. Follow Zo on Twitter ⁠⁠@biasedsoymotel ⁠⁠ Fund the show at our ⁠⁠Patreon⁠⁠! Haphazard History is hosted by Scott Martin. Follow him on Twitter (⁠⁠@YouCaughtScott⁠⁠), YouTube (⁠⁠Pinko Punko⁠⁠) and his substack covering Canadian news media (⁠The Catch⁠). Music and production by Scott Martin, artwork by ⁠⁠@GutterMagic⁠⁠ Sources: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Charlemagne/Military-campaign https://wou.edu/history/files/2015/08/Monica-Fleener.pdf  https://digitalcommons.law.uga.edu/fac_pm/42/?iframe=true&width=100%&height=100%  https://daily.jstor.org/the-cadaver-synod-putting-a-dead-pope-on-trial/ https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/141654862.pdf  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/history/history-magazine/article/vatican-dead-pope-on-trial  https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/morbid-monday-cadaver-synod  https://academiccommons.columbia.edu/doi/10.7916/d8-5wrw-j379/download https://courses.lumenlearning.com/atd-herkimer-westerncivilization/chapter/the-coronation-of-800-ce/

Kat covers the second half of the Donner party. It's mostly eating rugs and taking weeks-long depression naps. Before long, rescuers reach the stranded parties but we're still not sure if they came from California or heaven. Next, Hayley resurrects the story of the Cadaver Synod. Pope Formosus was put on trial… 7 months after he died. It was not a normal trial.   Cadaver Synod Sources: THE TRIAL OF THE CORPSE POPE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nfpwo5B0Iq4 The Cadaver Synod: When a Dead Pope Was Put on Trial Carrie Whitney https://history.howstuffworks.com/historical-events/dead-pope-put-on-trial.htm The Cadaver Synod: Putting a Dead Pope on Trial - JSTOR Daily The Cadaver Synod: Putting a Dead Pope on Trial Why did Pope Stephen VI go to such great lengths to destroy an enemy who was already dead? Pope Formosus and Stephen VI - The Cadaver Synod of 897 by Jean Paul Laurens, 1870 via Wikimedia Commons By: Amelia Soth February 7, 2019 4 minutes https://daily.jstor.org/the-cadaver-synod-putting-a-dead-pope-on-trial The Cadaver Synod: When a Pope's Corpse Was Put on Trial Harper https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/morbid-monday-cadaver-synod The Cadaver Synod: When the Corpse of a Dead Pope Was Put on Trial and "Executed" Fraser https://medium.com/@mwfraser/the-cadaver-synod-when-the-corpse-of-a-dead-pope-was-put-on-trial-and-executed-1c9f3b82b11f https://linktr.ee/NightClassy Produced by Parasaur Studios © 2023

In 897, Pope Stephen VI put his predecessor, Pope Formosus, on trial for crimes against the Catholic Church. The accused was exhumed from his grave, and presented before an assembly of clergy in a Basilica in Rome.The Strange Case of Pope Formosus | Catholic AnswersThe Cadaver Synod: Low Point in the History of the Papacy | Medievalists.netThe Cadaver Synod: When the Corpse of a Dead Pope Was Put on Trial | Medium.comThe Cadaver Synod: The Strangest Trial in History, Donald E. Wilkes Jr. The Cadaver Synod: When a Pope's Corpse Was Put on Trial | Atlas ObscuraPatreon: patreon.com/themorbidmuseum Instagram: @themorbidmuseum Email: themorbidmuseum@gmail.comArtwork: Brittany Schall Music: "Danse Macabre" by Camille Saint-Saens, performed by Kevin MacLeod

Welcome to the 27th episode of We Effed Up, where we examine one of the more macabre eff-ups in history with special guest Bry from Pontifacts.SourcesCummins, Joseph. History's Great Untold Stories: Obscure Events of Lasting Importance. Allen & Unwin, Crows Nest, Australia, 2011.Mann, Horace K. The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages. Kegan Paul, Trench, Truebner, & Co., London, 1910.Moore, Michael E., et al. “The Attack on Pope Formosus: Papal History in an Age of Resentment.” Ecclesia et Violentia: Violence Against the Church and Violence Within the Church. Cambridge Scholars, Cambridge, 2014. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022.Reardon, Wendy J. The Deaths of the Popes. McFarland & Co, Jefferson, NC, 2004.Squatriti, Paolo, trans. The Complete Works of Liutprand of Cremona. Catholic U. Press of America, Washington, 2007.Wilkes Jr., Donald E. “The Cadaver Synod: Strangest Trial in History.” Flagpole. Athens, Ga., 2011. Retrieved 20 Sep 2022. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There have been 266 popes, but some of them weren't the best role models. During the Cadaver Synod, Pope Stephen VI dug up one of his predecessors to stand trial. Find out more about the absolute worst popes in history. Twitter & Facebook: @macabrepediaInstagram: @macabrepediapodEmail us at: macabrepediapod@gmail.comSupport the show

We've all held a grudge at one point or another, but I doubt any of us have been willing to go as far as Pope Stephen VI to settle the score. Buckle up, as you may be shocked to learn that this is a weird one.Join us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FactsschmactsFollow us on Twitter @factschmactpodFind us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/facts_schmacts/Help us out by donating or subscribing to our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/factsschmactsor buy us a coffee here! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/factsschmactsSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/factsschmacts/donations

In 897, in Rome, Pope Stephen VI was strangled, in prison.  There. That's the True Crime. We don't know who did it -- a representative of the people of Rome, we suppose. The interesting part of this crime is not that he got murdered, but why he got murdered. Which was that he had dug up the  7 months dead corpse of a predecessor and put it on trial. In fancy papal garb. With a deacon giving answers to questions, since the dead pope on trial couldn't do it. We bring you The Cadaver Synod! And Michelle finds musicals. 

In this 2011 episode, prior hosts Sarah and Deblina cover Pope Stephen VI having his deceased predecessor Formosus exhumed and put on trial in 897. The corpse was found guilty, but this desecration disgusted Romans and made them rebel. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

Good morrow to they ladies and sirs of the internets. Today on the Wheel of Crime Podcast, Jenn and Em talk about medieval times. That period of human existence where indoor plumbing wasn't a thing and people regularly jousted on the streets. Em talks about five wacky crimes, most of which include head injuries and theft. Jenn talks about the Cadaver Synod, a trail in which Pope Stephen VI had former Pope Formosus' corpse exhumed and brought to the papal court for judgment. What a time to be alive. So, we say Huzzah! and wish thy to sit you down and have a laugh! Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/Wheelofcrime)

Stewart is joined this episode by Cody "EasyBake" Melcher and Peter-john Byrnes. Join the guys as they discuss Pope Formosus who was dug up and put on trial by Pope Stephen VI. It's an interesting look at a bizarre time! 

Stewart is joined this episode by Cody "EasyBake" Melcher and Peter-john Byrnes. Join the guys as they discuss Pope Formosus who was dug up and put on trial by Pope Stephen VI. It's an interesting look at a bizarre time! 

What do you do when the last pope really hecked things up? If you're Pope Stephen VI, you dig him up and put him on trial! This week, Alexis teaches Hailey about the all the madness that was the Cadaver Synod! Special thanks to Swing Whale for our music! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In 897 Pope Stephen VI put the corpse of one of his predecessors, Formosus, on trial. The current pope ordered that the former pope's dead body be dressed in papal finery and put on a throne to stand trial. Stephen […]

The Catholic Church is no stranger to scandal and controversy, but in January of 897 the institution was home to a new and unique scandal that put the garden variety tales of adultery and financial corruption to shame. Listen in to learn what drove Pope Stephen VI (also sometimes called Pope Steven VII) to dig up one of his predecessors and put the corpse of another Pope on trial. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

In 897, Pope Stephen VI had his deceased predecessor Formosus exhumed and put on trial. The corpse was found guilty, but this desecration disgusted Romans and made them rebel. Tune in to learn more about the period known as the Papal Pornocracy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://news.iheart.com/podcast-advertisers

The title of this episode is “What a Mess!”As is often the case, we start by backing up & reviewing material we've already covered so we can launch into the next leg of our journey in Church History.Anglo-Saxon missionaries to Germany had received the support of Charles Martel, a founder of the Carolin­gian dynasty. Martel supported these missions because of his desire to expand his rule eastwards into Bavaria. The Pope was grateful for his sup­port, and for Charles' victory over the Muslims at the Battle of Tours. But Martel fell afoul of papal favor when he confiscated Church lands. At first, the Church consented to his seizing of property to produce income to stave off the Muslim threat. But once that threat was dealt with, he refused to return the lands. Adding insult to injury, Martel ignored the Pope's request for help against the Lombards taking control of a good chunk of Italy. Martel denied assistance because at that time the Lombards were his allies. But a new era began with the reign of Martel's heir, Pippin or as he's better known, Pepin III.Pepin was raised in the monastery of St. Denis near Paris. He & his brother were helped by the church leader Boniface to carry out a major reform of the Frank church. These reforms of the clergy and church organization brought about a renewal of religious and intellectual life and made possible the educational revival associated with the greatest of the Carolingian rulers, Charlemagne & his Renaissance.In 751, Pepin persuaded Pope Zachary to allow Boniface to anoint him, King of the Franks, supplanting the Merovingian dynasty. Then, another milestone in church-state relations passed with Pope Stephen II appealing to Pepin for aid against the Lombards. The pope placed Rome under the protection of Pepin and recognized him and his sons as “Protectors of the Romans.”As we've recently seen, all of this Church-State alliance came to a focal point with the crowning of Charlemagne as Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in AD 800. For some time the Popes in Rome had been looking for a way to loosen their ties to the Eastern Empire & Constantinople. Religious developments in the East provided the Popes an opportunity to finally break free. The Iconoclastic Controversy dominating Eastern affairs gave the Popes one more thing to express their disaffection with. We'll take a closer look at the controversy later. For now, it's enough to say the Eastern Emperor Leo III banned the use of icons as images of religious devotion in AD 726. The supporters of icons ultimately prevailed but only after a century of bitter and at times violent dispute. Pope Gregory II rejected Leo's edict banning icons and flaunted his disrespect for the Emperor's authority. Gregory's pompous and scathing letter to the Emperor was long on bluff but a dramatic state­ment of his rejection of secular rulers' meddling in Church affairs. Pope Gregory wrote: “Listen! Dogmas are not the business of emperors but of pontiffs.”The reign of what was regarded by the West as a heretical dynasty in the East gave the Pope the excuse he needed to separate from the East and find a new, devoted and orthodox protector. The alliance between the papacy and the Carolingians represents the culmination of that quest, and opened a new and momentous chapter in the history of European medieval Christianity.In response to Pope Stephen's appeal for help against the Lombards, Pepin recovered the Church's territories in Italy and gave them to the pope, an action known as the 'Donation of Pepin'. This confirmed the legal status of the Papal States.At about the same time, the Pope's claim to the rule of Italy and independence from the Eastern Roman Empire was reinforced by the appearance of one of the great forgeries of the Middle Ages, the Donation of Constantine. This spurious document claimed Constantine the Great had given Rome and the western part of the Empire to the bishop of Rome when he moved the capital of the empire to the East. The Donation was not exposed as a forgery until the 15th Century.The concluding act in the popes' attempt to free themselves from Constantinople came on Christmas Day 800 when Pope Leo III revived the Empire in the West by crowning Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor. It's rather humorous, as one wag put it – the Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy, nor Roman, and can scarcely be called an Empire.Charlemagne's chief scholar was the British-born Alcuin who'd been master of the cathedral school in York. He was courted by Charlemagne to make his capital at Aachen on the border between France & Germany, Europe's new center of education & scholarship. Alcuin did just that. If the school at Aachen didn't plant the seeds that would later flower in the Renaissance it certainly prepared the soil for them.Alcuin profoundly influenced the intellectual, cultural and religious direction of the Carolingian Empire, as the 300-some extant let­ters he wrote reveal. His influence is best seen in the manuscripts of the school at Tours where he later became abbot. His influence is also demonstrated in his educational writings, revision of the Biblical text, commentaries and the completion of his version of Church liturgy. He standardized spelling and writing, reformed missionary practice, and contributed to the organizing of church regulations. Alcuin was the leading theologian in the struggle against the heresy of Adoptionism. Adoptionists said Jesus was simply a human being who God adopted & MADE a Son. Alcuin was a staunch defender of Christian orthodoxy and the authority of the Church, the pre-eminence of the Roman Bishop and of Charlemagne's sacred position as Emperor. He died in 804.The time at which Alcuin lived certainly needed the reforms he brought & he was the perfect agent to bring them. From the palace school at Aachen, a generation of his students went out to head monas­tic and cathedral schools through­out the land. Even though Charlemagne's Empire barely outlived its founder, the revival of education and religion associated with he and Alcuin brightened European culture throughout the bleak and chaotic period that followed. This Carolingian Renaissance turned to classical antiquity and early Christianity for its models. The problem is, there was only one Western scholar who still knew Greek, the Irishman John Scotus Erigena. Still, the manuscripts produced during this era form the base from which modern historians gain a picture of the past. It was these classical texts, translated from Greek into Latin that fueled the later European Renaissance.The intellectual vigor stimulated by the Carolingian Renaissance and the political dynamism of the revived Empire stimulated new theologi­cal activity. There was discussion about the continuing Iconoclastic problem in the East. Political antagonism between the Eastern and the Carolingian emperors led to an attack by theologians in the West on the practices and beliefs of the Orthodox Church in the East. These controversial works on the 'Errors of the Greeks' flourished during the 9th C as a result of the Photian Schism.In 858, Byzantine Emperor Michael III deposed the Patriarch Ignatius I of Constantinople, replacing him with a lay scholar named Photius I, AKA Photius the Great. The now deposed Ignatius appealed to Pope Nicholas I to restore him while Photius asked the Pope to recognize his appointment. The Pope ordered the restoration of Ignatius & relations between East & West sunk further. The issue ended in 867 when Pope Nicholas died & Photius was deposed.Latin theologians also criticized the Eastern church for its different method of deciding the date of Easter, the difference in the way clergy cut their hair, and the celibacy of priests. The Eastern Church allowed priests to marry while requiring monks to be celibate, whereas the Western Church required celibacy of both.Another major doctrinal debate was the Filioque [Filly-o-quay] Controversy we briefly touched on in an earlier episode. Now, before I get a barrage of emails, there's debate among scholars over the pronunciation of Filioque. Some say “Filly-oak” others “Filly-o-quay.” Take your pick.The point is, the Controversy dealt with the wording of the Nicene Creed as related to the Holy Spirit. The original Creed said the Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father. A bit later, the Western Church altered the wording a bit so as to affirm the equality of the Son of God with the Father. So they said the Spirit proceeded from both Father & Son. Filioque is Latin for “and the Son” thus giving the name of the controversy. The Eastern Church saw this addition as dangerous tampering with the Creed and refused to accept it while the Filioque clause became a standard part of what was considered normative doctrine in the West.Another major discussion arose over the question of predestina­tion. A Carolingian monk named Gottschalk, who studied Augustine's theology carefully, was the first to teach 'double predestination'; the belief that some people are predestined to salvation, while others are predestined to damnation. He was tried and condemned for his views by 2 synods and finally imprisoned by the Archbishop of Rheims. Gottschalk died 20 years later, holding his views to the end.The other major theological issue of the Carolingian era concerned the Lord's Supper. The influential Abbot of Corbie wrote a treatise titled On the Body and Blood of the Lord. This was the first clear statement of a doctrine of the 'real presence' of Christ's body and blood in the Communion elements, later called the doctrine of “transubstantiation,” an issue that will become a heated point in the debate between the Roman Church & Reformers.The reforms of King Pepin and Pope Boniface focused attention on priests. It was clear to all that clergy ought to lead lives beyond reproach. That synod after synod during the 6th, 7th, & 8th Cs had to make such a major issue of this demonstrated the need for reform. Among the violations warned against were the rejection of celibacy, gluttony, drunkenness, tawdry relationships with women, hunting, carry­ing arms & frequenting taverns.Monastic developments at this time were significant. The emphasis was on standardiza­tion and centralization. Between 813 and 17 a revised Benedictine rule was adopted for the whole of the Carolingian Empire. Another Benedict, a monk from Burgundy, was respon­sible for an ultra-strict regimen. Charlemagne's successor, Louis the Pious, appointed Benedict the overseer of all monasteries in the realm, and a few years later his revised Benedictine rule was made obligatory for all monasteries. Sadly, with little long-term effect.When Louis suc­ceeded Charlemagne, the Pope was able to regain his independ­ence, following a long domination by the Emperor. The imperial theocracy of Charlemagne's reign would have yielded a 'state church' as already existed in the East. But the papacy stressed the superiority of spiritual power over the secular. This was reinforced by the forged Donation of Constantine with its emphasis on papal pre-eminence in the governing of the Empire, not just the Church.In the middle of the 9th C, priests at Rheims produced another remarkable forgery, the False Decretals. Accomplished with great inventiveness, the Decretals were designed to provide a basis in law which protected the rights of bishops. They included the bogus Donation of Constantine and became a central part of the canon of medieval law. It shored up papal claims to supremacy in church affairs over secular authority. The first Pope to make use of the False Decretals was Nicholas I. He recognized the danger of a Church dominated by civil rulers and was deter­mined to avert this by stressing that the church's govern­ment was centered on Rome, not Constantinople, and certainly not in some lesser city like Milan or Ravenna.From the late 9th until the mid-11th C, Western Christendom was beset by a host of major challenges that left the region vulnerable. The Carolingian Empire frag­mented, leaving no major military power to defend Western Europe. Con­tinued attacks by Muslims in the S, a fresh wave of attacks by the Magyars in the E, and incessant raids by the Norsemen all over the Empire, turned the shards of the empire into splinters. One contemporary lamented, “Once we had a king, now we have kinglets!” For many Western Europeans, it seemed the end of the world was at hand.The popes no longer had Carolingian rulers as protectors. So the papacy became increasingly involved in the power struggles among the nobility for the rule of Italy. Popes became partisans of one political faction or another; sometimes willingly, other times coerced. But the cumulative result was spiritual and moral decline. For instance, Pope Stephen VI took vengeance on the preceding pope by having his body disinterred and brought before a synod, where it was propped up in a chair for trial. Following conviction, the body was thrown into the Tiber River. Then, within a year Stephen himself was overthrown. He was strangled while in prison.There was a near-complete col­lapse of civil order in Europe during the 10th C. Church property was ransacked by invaders or fell into the hands of the nobility. Noble­men treated churches and monas­teries as their private property to dispose of as they wished. The clergy became indifferent to duty. Their illiteracy & immorality grew.The 10th C was a genuine dark age, at least as far as the condition of the Church was concerned. Without imperial protection, popes became helpless playthings for the nobility, who fought to gain control by appointing relatives and political favorites. A chroni­cle by the German bishop of Cremona paints a graphic picture of sexual debauchery in the Church.Though there were incompet­ent & immoral popes during this time, they continued to be respected throughout the West. Bishoprics and abbeys were founded by laymen after they obtained the appro­val of the papal court. Pilgrimages to Rome hardly slackened during this age, as Christians visited the sacred sites of the West; that is, the tombs of Peter and Paul, as well as a host of other relics venerated in there.At the lowest ebb of the 10th C, during the reign of Pope John XII, from 955-64, a major change in Italian politics affected the papacy. An independent & capable German monarchy emerged. This Saxon dynasty began with the election of Henry I and continued with his son, Otto I, AKA Otto the Great .Otto developed a close relationship with the Church in Germany. Bishops and abbots were given the rights and honor of high nobility.  The church received huge tracts of land. Thru this alliance with the Church, Otto aimed to forestall the rebellious nobles of his kingdom.But the new spiritual aristocracy created by Otto wasn't hereditary. Bishops & abbots couldn't “pass on” their privileges to their successors. Favor was granted by the King to whomever he chose. Thus, their loyalty could be counted on more readily. In fact, the German bishops contributed money and arms to help the German kings expand into Italy, what is now the regions of East Germany & Poland.Otto helped raise the papacy out of the quagmire of Italian politics. His entrance into Italian affairs was a fateful deci­sion. He marched south into Italy to marry Adelaide of Burgundy and declare him­self king of the Lombards. Ten years later, he again marched south at the invitation of Pope John XII. In February of 962, the Pope tried a renewal of the Holy Roman Empire by crowning Otto and Adelaide in St Peter's. But the price paid by the pope for Otto's support was another round of interference in Church affairs.For the next 300 years, each new German monarch followed up his election by making a march to Rome to be crowned as Emperor. But at this point, it wasn't so much Popes who made Emperors as it was Emperors who made Popes. And when a pope ran afoul of the ruler, he was conveniently labeled ‘anti-pope' & deposed, to be replaced by the next guy. It was the age of musical chairs in Rome; whoever grabs the papal chair when the music stops gets to sit. But when the Emperor instructs the band to play again, whoever's in the chair has to stand and the game starts all over again. Lest you think I'm overstating the case, in 963 Otto returned to Rome, convened a synod which found Pope John guilty of a list of sordid crimes and deposed him. In his place, they chose a layman, who received all of his ecclesiastical orders in a single day to become Pope Leo VIII. He managed to sit in the Pope's chair less than a year before the music started all over again.