Forgotten Footnotes

The Cadaver Synod: The Trial of a Dead Pope


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In 897, Pope Formosus became the central figure in one of the strangest events in Church history—the Cadaver Synod. After his death, his body was exhumed, dressed in full papal regalia, and put on trial for various crimes. With cardinals and archbishops going along with this bizarre charade, Formosus was found guilty, stripped of his papal title, and thrown into the Tiber River. Discover the unsettling and absurd story behind this infamous trial in this short history lesson.

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Forgotten FootnotesBy Reginald