The POPE Encyclopedia

by Matthew Bunson

Indeks Kristiani | Indeks Artikel
ISNET Homepage | MEDIA Homepage | Program Kerja | Koleksi | Anggota

 

POPE JOAN

 
A famous legend about a woman  who  supposedly  was  elected
pope,  reigning  as  Pope  John VIII from around 855 to 858,
between the pontificates of Leo IV  (847-855)  and  Benedict
III  (855-858);  another version has her winning election in
1100.  The  story  of  Pope  Joan  is   almost   universally
discounted by scholars, but the legend was extremely popular
during the  Middle  Ages,  was  mentioned  by  Petrarch  and
Boccaccio,  and  was used by leaders of the Protestant cause
in the sixteenth century to  stir  up  antipapal  sentiment.
While  disproved  in the seventeenth century by a Protestant
scholar, Maurice Blondel (1590-1655), it was still  repeated
by  anti-  Catholic  bigots and propagandists as late as the
nineteenth century. Joan  was  supposedly  a  very  talented
scribe  in  Rome  who  disguised herself as a man and took a
position in the service of  the  papacy.  She  was  advanced
steadily  through the Curia and finally received election as
pope  in  large  part  because  of  the  brilliance  of  her
lectures.  Her  reign  proved  brief,  however, for she gave
birth to a child in a  narrow  street  near  the  Colosseum,
during  a  procession  to  the  Lateran.  (Popes  supposedly
avoided the street ever after.)  Once  discovered,  she  was
stoned to death.

(sebelum, sesudah)


THE POPE ENCYCLOPEDIA - Matthew Bunson
Published by Crown Trade Paperbacks
201 East 50th Street, New York
New York 10022, USA
ISBN 0-517-88256-6
 

Indeks Kristiani | Indeks Artikel
ISNET Homepage | MEDIA Homepage | Program Kerja | Koleksi | Anggota

Please direct any suggestion to Media Team