Yes, you read that right. In 897, the new, Pope Stephen VI, held such hatred and animosity toward his predecessor, Pope Formosus, that he put him on trial in Rome. One small detail, Pope Formosus had been dead for 7 months. Undeterred, Pope Stephen ordered his body exhumed from St. Peters. Then, Formosus’ decaying corpse was dressed it ecclesiastical robes, propped up on a throne, and put on trial nonetheless. What on earth had Pope Formosus done that motivated Pope Stephen VI to go to such macabre lengths?
Formosus was born in 816 Italy. When of age, he entered the seminary and became a priest. Pope Nicholas I appointed him bishop of Porto Santa Rufino in 864 at the age of 48. Recognized for his administrative abilities, he was entrusted with this rather important Italian diocese. Two years later, the Pope appointed Formosus as Legate to Bulgaria as well.
During this mission, Formosus demonstrated both religious and diplomatic skills, effectively representing the interests of the papacy. Boris I, ruler of Bulgaria, was so impressed he requested that Pope Nicholas I appoint Formosus as Archbishop of Bulgaria. Pope Nicholas had to deny the request, however, as bishops were forbidden from overseeing more than one diocese.
In 875, the Italian nobles elected Charles the Bald as the new Holy Roman Emperor. The current Pope, John VIII, formally invited Charles to Rome. All bishops, including Formosus, came to witness the coronation of the new emperor. However, all was not settled with the vast empire. Charles had a popular brother, now dead, whose widow opposed the coronation. Many were on her side, and not happy with Charles the Bald, including … Bishop Formosus.
Fearing a political reckoning, Formosus and many others fled Rome.
The next year, Pope John VIII called for an assembly of the clergy and ordered all papal officials to come to Rome. Formosus refused however, fearing a trap by Charles the Bald. As punishment, the angry Pope excommunicated Formosus in 876. The accusations were that had “deserted his diocese, conspired to attain the position of archbishop, and plotted to usurp the emperor.” It seemed to all, Formosus’ promising career in the church was over. Ironically, prior to this, Formosus had actually been considered a candidate for the papacy.
Following the death of Pope John VIII in 882, the ambitious Formosus, saw an opportunity to return to favor. He began a correspondence with the new Pope. John VIII’s successor, Marinus I, withdrew the excommunication sentence and restored Formosus former title. After six years in exile, he was a bishop again!
Marinus I was pope for one year, then was succeeded by Stephen V, who was pope for six years. During medieval times, there was often a revolving door of popes – whether through disease, expulsion or even murder. Then in 891, upon the death of Stephen V, the cardinals elected Formosus himself as pope. He had reached the top. An amazing feat for a once excommunicated bishop.
Almost immediately, Formosus found himself embroiled in political intrigue.
The new Pope and the current emperor, Guy III, did not see eye to eye on much. Guy forced the pope into crowning his young son Lambert “the co-emperor” in 892, ensuring his succession. Guys’ other actions, particularly his expulsion of the Byzantines from Italy, alarmed Formosus. He began to seek support amongst powerful families of the empire against the emperor.
Pope Formosus encouraged Arnulf of Carinthia (Austria) to attack Rome to “liberate Italy from Guy’s malignant control.” His reward would be the throne itself. Then Guy died in 894. Lambert, who was still too young to rule, was left in the care of his mother, Agiltrude, now Regent.
Arnulf and his army crossed the Alps and invading Italy in 895, and successfully seized Rome. The day after Arnulf captured the city, Pope Formosus crowned him the new Holy Roman Emperor. Lambert and his mother fled the city. It was quite the successful coup. Formosus had now achieved both religious and political success.
Then Pope Formosus died in 896 at the age of 80. He was succeeded by Pope Boniface VI, who was the pope for only 15 days before he too died. Boniface VI’s successor was the aforementioned Pope Stephen VI. Stephen was still incensed over the election of Formosus, an excommunicated bishop, to the papacy even after six years. His hatred for Formosus apparently knew no bounds. The new pope decided to be incredibly ruthless and petty.
First, Pope Stephen VI, publicly charged the dead Pope Formosus with his former excommunication charges: desertion, holding multiple bishoprics, and the illegal ascension to the papacy. That not being enough, he then orchestrated a public trial. Pope Stephen shocked Rome when he ordered Formosus’ corpse, now dead for 7 months, to be exhumed from the Vatican to stand trial in person.
The “Cadaver Synod” was conducted in 897 in Rome’s Basilica di San Giovanni Lateran.
The rotting corpse of Pope Formosus was dressed in papal vestments and propped up on a throne on the altar to face the charges against him. Pope Stephen VI assigned a young deacon to act as Formosus’ attorney and speak for him. Pope Formosus grotesque corpse often had to be held upright by guards as Pope Stephen VI himself hurled accusations at the reeking body .
“When you were bishop of Porto, do you deny usurping the universal Roman See in such a spirit of ambition?” To which Pope Formosus of course could make no reply. While Stephen VI continued his rant, the corpses’ body, like a weak doll, would often nod, then fold over, while attendants rushed in to support it.
As one would expect, Formosus’ deacon had little to say, other than to agree with whatever Pope Stephen said. During the trial, a small earthquake was actually felt inside the basilica, causing minor damage. It horrified the already repulsed attendants – clearly a sign from God!
Stephen VI paid no mind to the tremors. In the end, he found the dead Pope guilty of violating canon law and usurping the papacy. He did not stop there. Stephen VI declared all of Formosus’ acts as Pope null and void: all consecrations, all appointments, all ordinations, EVERYTHING. He was to be removed from all official accounts, essentially written out of papal history. Still, even that was not enough for the insatiable Pope Stephen.
Formosus’ pathetic crumbling body was then stripped of its rich garments and dressed in peasant’s rags. Stephen ordered three of the fingers of his right hand cut off! These were the fingers of the benediction, with which he had given blessings. His body was then dumped into an unconsecrated graveyard for foreigners. However, Stephen VI later determined that burial was too light a treatment for Formosus.
He had poor Pope Formosus dug up a second time!
This time, he ordered weights attached to the corpse and had it tossed into the Tiber River. By throwing his enemy in the Tiber, Stephen VI was following an ancient Roman tradition. The Tiber was where the ancient Roman emperors disposed of their most infamous rivals. For thousands of years, the river was where you threw anyone you wanted to permanently exile from society, even from memory.
Why did Stephen VI go to such insane lengths to destroy an already dead enemy? The bones of a holy person could be transformed into a holy relic, a source of miracles. Every church, monastery, nobleman and king had holy relics. They were brought out during trials; they were carried by armies; they were paraded to encourage good harvests.
Through their relics, saints continued to be members of the church: hearing the pleas of petitioners and often responding with divine intercession. It was this future holy presence that the twisted Stephen VI sought to deny Pope Formosus. With his body lost at sea, no one would ever venerate his relics.
While Pope Stephen was now finally satiated, the Roman public began to turn against him. First a public outcry, then a clergy uprising occurred. The vivid imagery of a deceased pope being put on trial caused widespread horror and indignation. The Vatican deposed of Pope Stephen VI and threw him in prison.
Pope Stephen VI was later found strangled to death in his cell.
His reign lasted a little over a year. As for Pope Formosus, his body was pulled from the Tiber by fishermen. It was carried to the Church of the Prince of the Apostles where it was kept safe by monks.
The new Pope, Theodore II, annulled the infamous and embarrassing Cadaver Synod. This act was a step towards rehabilitating Formosus’ legacy and restoring his dignity and honor. He ordered that Formosus’ body be reburied in Saint Peter’s Basilica in papal vestments and full honors. Formosus is still buried in Saint Peter’s to this day.
The corpse trial of Pope Formosus remains one of the most infamous and sensational events in the history of the church. The Cadaver Synod had lasting implications for the governance of the church. It prompted a reexamination and reform of papal policies and procedures.
It also showed the human aspect of the papacy. It highlights how personal vendettas, political machinations, and theological disputes, fueled by one unhinged leader, could burst forward in a dramatic and disturbing way. Popes, despite their spiritual authority, were like any other powerful leader throughout the world. They were not immune to ruthless ambition, personal animosities, and a general lack of Christ-like forgiveness.