List of popes who died violently
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[]
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- 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[]
This section contains information of unclear or questionable importance or relevance to the article's subject matter. (April 2020) |
Lists[]
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Related topics[]
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References[]
- ^ a b Jacobus de Voragine; William Granger Ryan (1993). The golden legend: readings on the saints. Princeton University Press. p. 39. ISBN 9780691001548.
- ^ Foul Play Suspected in Popes Death? Baltimore Afro-American - October 10, 1978
- ^ Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911), "St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles", Catholic Encyclopedia, 11, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2013-06-03
- ^ 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]
- ^ a b c d Liber Pontificalis[full citation needed]
- ^ Annuario Pontificio[full citation needed]
- ^ 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."
- ^ First pope listed as a martyr by Irenaeus' Against Heresies
- ^ Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope St. Eusebius
- ^ 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
- ^ Pope Stephen (VI) VII New Advent.org
- ^ Pope Leo V NewAdvent.org
- ^ Pope John X NewAdvent.org
- ^ 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
- ^ Pope Benedict VI New Advent.org
- ^ Pope John XIV NewAdvent.org
- ^ Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911), "Pope St. Hyginus", Catholic Encyclopedia, 7, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 2013-06-03
- ^ Butler, Alban (1866). "July 11: St. Pius I., Pope and Martyr". The Lives of the Saints. 7. Dublin: James Duffy. Retrieved 2013-06-03.
- ^ "Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 129
- ^ Pope Clement II NewAdvent.org
- ^ Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1906) History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages vol. 5 part 2
- ^ Pope Boniface VIII NewAdvent.org
Categories:
- Lists of people by cause of death
- Lists of religious figures
- Lists of Catholic popes
- Popes
- Lists of murders