List of popes who died violently

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A collection of popes who have had violent deaths through the centuries. The circumstances have ranged from martyrdom (Pope Stephen I)[1] to war (Lucius II),[2] to a beating by a jealous husband (Pope John XII). A number of other popes have died under circumstances that some believe to be murder, but for which definitive evidence has not been found.

Martyr popes[]

In tradition, the first pope, Saint Peter, was crucified upside-down.
  • Saint Peter (c.67), traditionally martyred by upside-down crucifixion[3]
  • Pope Linus (Saint) (c.67-c.76)[4][5]
  • Pope Anacletus or Cletus (Saint) (c.79-c.92)[6][4]
  • Pope Clement I (Saint) (c.92-c.99), thrown into sea with anchor around his neck[4]
  • Pope Evaristus (c.99-c.108),[4][5] not listed in the Roman Martyrology but executed[7]
  • Pope Sixtus I (Saint) (c.119-c.128)[4][5]
  • Pope Telesphorus (Saint) (c.128-c.138)[4][8]
  • Pope Anicetus (Saint) (155-166), traditionally martyred[4]
  • Pope Soter (Saint) (166-175), died a martyr [4]
  • Pope Eleuterus (Saint) (175-189), died a martyr[4]
  • Pope Victor I (Saint) 189–199, died a martyr[4]
  • Pope Calixtus I (Saint) (217-222), died a martyr[4]
  • Pope Urban I (Saint) 222–230, died a martyr[4]
  • Pope Pontian (Saint) 230–235, condemned to mines in Sardinia and died on island of Tavolara[4]
  • Pope Anterus (Saint), elected 235-12-21, martyred at hands of Emperor Maximus[4]
  • Pope Fabian (Saint), elected 236-1-10 and died a martyr during persecution and decapitated by Decius[4]
  • Pope Cornelius (Saint), elected March 251 and died a martyr June 253[4]
  • Pope Lucius I (Saint), elected 253-6-25 and martyred 254-3-5[4]
  • Pope Stephen I (Saint), elected 254-5-12 and martyred 257-8-2[4][1]
  • Pope Sixtus II (Saint), elected 257-8-30 and martyred 258-8-6[4]
  • Pope Dionysius (Saint), elected 259-7-22 after year of persecutions and died 268-12-26, martyred[4]
  • Pope Felix I (Saint), elected 269-1-5 and died 274-12-30, martyred[4]
  • Pope Eutychian (Saint), elected 275-1-4 and martyred 283-12-7[4]
  • Pope Caius (Saint), elected 283-12-17 and martyred 296-4-22 but not at hands of his uncle Diocletian[4]
  • Pope Marcellinus (Saint), elected 296-6-30 and martyred 304-10-25 during persecution of Diocletian[4]
  • Pope Marcellus I (Saint), elected 308-5-27 after 4-year vacancy and martyred 309-1-16[4]
  • Pope Eusebius (Saint), elected 309-4-18 and martyred in Sicily 309-8-17.[4][9]
  • Pope John I (Saint), elected August 13, 523, during the Ostrogothic occupation of the Italian peninsula. Was sent as an envoy by Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great to Constantinople. Upon return, Theodoric accused John I of conspiracy with the Byzantine empire. Imprisoned and starved to death on 18 May 526.[4]
  • Pope Martin I (Saint) Elected in 649. Died in exile 655-9-16.

Murdered popes[]

  • John VIII (872–882), allegedly poisoned and then clubbed to death[10]
  • Stephen VI (896–897), strangled[11]
  • Leo V (903), allegedly strangled[12]
  • John X (914–928), allegedly smothered with pillow[13]
  • John XII (955–964), allegedly murdered by the jealous husband of the woman with whom he was in bed[14]
  • Benedict VI (973–974), strangled[15]
  • John XIV (983–984), died either by starvation, ill-treatment or direct murder[16]

Dubious[]

  • Pope Alexander I (Saint) (c.106-c.119),[4][5] recognition as the martyred Saint Alexander (feast day May 3) rescinded in 1960
  • Pope Hyginus (Saint) (c.138-c.142),[4] martyrdom[17]
  • Pope Pius I (Saint) (c.142-c.154), martyred by the sword according to old sources.[18] Claim of martyrdom removed from the 1969 General Roman Calendar after recent revisions.[19]
  • Clement II (1046–1047), allegedly poisoned[20]
  • Celestine V (1294–1296), allegedly murdered while in post-abdication captivity. Allegations blame his successor, Pope Boniface VIII.[21]
  • Boniface VIII (1294–1303), allegedly (though unlikely) died from the effects of ill-treatment one month before.[22]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b Jacobus de Voragine; William Granger Ryan (1993). The golden legend: readings on the saints. Princeton University Press. p. 39. ISBN 9780691001548.
  2. ^ Foul Play Suspected in Popes Death? Baltimore Afro-American - October 10, 1978
  3. ^ Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911), "St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles", Catholic Encyclopedia, 11, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2013-06-03
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac [full citation needed]
  5. ^ a b c d Liber Pontificalis[full citation needed]
  6. ^ Annuario Pontificio[full citation needed]
  7. ^ Alexis-François Artaud de Montor (1911). The lives and times of the popes : including the complete gallery of the portraits of the pontiffs reproduced from "Effigies pontificum romanorum Dominici Basae": being a series of volumes giving the history of the world during the Christian era. archive.org. p. 21. Archived from the original on October 15, 2019. Quote: "Ignatius died of the wounds that were inflicted by ferocious beasts; Evaristus died under the hands of executioners, more cruel than the wild beasts themselves."
  8. ^ First pope listed as a martyr by Irenaeus' Against Heresies
  9. ^ Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope St. Eusebius
  10. ^ Mann, H. (1910). Pope John VIII. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved February 14, 2010 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08423c.htm
  11. ^ Pope Stephen (VI) VII New Advent.org
  12. ^ Pope Leo V NewAdvent.org
  13. ^ Pope John X NewAdvent.org
  14. ^ Mann, Horace K. (1910). The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, Vol. IV: The Popes in the Days of Feudal Anarchy, 891-999. p. 264
  15. ^ Pope Benedict VI New Advent.org
  16. ^ Pope John XIV NewAdvent.org
  17. ^ Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911), "Pope St. Hyginus", Catholic Encyclopedia, 7, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2013-06-03
  18. ^ Butler, Alban (1866). "July 11: St. Pius I., Pope and Martyr". The Lives of the Saints. 7. Dublin: James Duffy. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
  19. ^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 129
  20. ^ Pope Clement II NewAdvent.org
  21. ^ Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1906) History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages vol. 5 part 2
  22. ^ Pope Boniface VIII NewAdvent.org
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