Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Favorite Royal Images: The Cadaver Synod
A special image for Halloween, the infamous "Cadaver Synod" in which Pope Stephen (VI) VII had the Pope Formosus dug up, his putried corpse dressed in papal vestments and then put on trial at St John Lateran's Basilica. Believe it or not, this convinced many people that Pope Stephen was quite insane...
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It's amazing how anyone went along with it in the first place... No doubt for the sheer fun of watching him be mad?
ReplyDeleteDressing up dead bodies for mock trials is pretty much always a bad idea. Sure, it may seem like a great plan beforehand, but it just never seems to turn out well.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the issue was first brought up?
ReplyDeletePope Stephen: Okay, now, I know this may sound a little crazy, but hear me out. We dig up Pope Formosus..."
... that's awfully bizarre. But then again, I've seen worse. I wonder why these people went along with the Pope's decisions.
ReplyDeleteI don't get it, what's so wrong with Pope Stephen VI's devotion to the veneration of relics?
ReplyDeleteFortunately, John IX banned any further trials of dead bodies.
ReplyDeleteFile that under laws you never would have believed would have even needed to be passed.
Which in itself is a little weird. After all, if you're nuts enough to dig up a corpse for "trial" I doubt it being illegal would stop you.
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