Even with my grasp on the ins and outs of the Catholic faith being far lower than somebody who got here up within the religion, there are a few issues I’m fairly assured about. The primary is that clergymen are presupposed to be celibate. The second is that, provided that the Pope is principally the top honcho of all clergymen, they’re undoubtedly not presupposed to be laying down any holy lumber.
It seems, although, that this rule has been fudged pretty typically over the historical past of the Church. Admittedly, lots of the accounts under have been disputed, however my perception within the Catholic Church to confess their errors has solely decreased with time and studying extra about historical past.
Pope Alexander VI
Should you’re pondering that these are going to be circumstances of a furtive contact in a darkish stairwell, adopted by a lifetime of remorse, you may need to modify your expectations. Within the case of Pope Alexander VI, the person had completely zero concern about getting after it within the service of God. When big swaths of written historical past regarding a pope are centered round his many sons, you’d need to be fairly deep within the sand to fake his papal promise ring stayed intact.
He had 4 sons by one single lady, Vannozza Catanei, and these are simply the confirmed offspring. His whole is thought to go all the way in which as much as 10, which I feel we are able to admit is at the very least very Catholic.
Pope John XII
Youngsters are famously attractive. Once more, Popes are famously not presupposed to be. So while you make a teenage boy a Pope, one thing’s gotta give. For Pope John XII, made Pope within the tenth century, the factor that appeared to offer was the fastenings on his papal undergarments.
Liudprand of Cremona mentioned that John XII turned the papal palace right into a “brothel,” however he did have motive to speak smack, being an ally of Pope John XII’s sworn enemy, the German King Otto I. The language may need been robust, however the sentiment wasn’t off-the-mark, per a professor on the Catholic College of America with the delightfully assonant identify of Ken Pennington. Pope John XII’s pursuit of the pillowed arts lasted till his final breath, with him rumored to have died from a stroke whereas bedding a married lady.
Pope Paul II
In equity, the accounts of Pope Paul II’s papal infidelities are a few of the most strongly disputed. However while you hear concerning the prime story attributed to him, you’re going to know precisely why the Church isn’t into litigating this one specifically. They might a lot fairly everybody toe the corporate line, which says Paul II died from extreme indigestion after consuming an excessive amount of melon. A dying that isn’t notably flattering, besides when the rumored different is that he died whereas getting — and I say this with best potential respect — his again partitions blown out by a web page boy.
Pope Julius III
One other presumably queer pope whose standing is hotly debated is Pope Julius III. The bits of his historical past that elevate eyebrows aren’t as salacious as these of Pope Paul II (although how might they be), but additionally have been arguably extra detrimental to his precise job of Pope. That’s as a result of probably the most curious particulars of his papacy is how his rise goes hand-in-hand, and I take advantage of that time period solely considerably figuratively, with a 15-year-old beggar named Innocenzo.
Innocenzo, regardless of having zero {qualifications}, discovered himself shortly made a cardinal by Julius III, kicking off a large scandal as to the precise relationship of the Pope’s younger new ward. Mentions by the Venetian ambassador that Innocenzo “shared the pope’s bed room and mattress” definitely didn’t assist quash the rumors.
Pope Benedict IX
Intercourse or no intercourse, Pope Benedict IX is extensively seen as one of many worst Popes of all time. He was so unhealthy/horrible/evil that St. Peter Damian thought-about him “a demon from hell within the disguise of a priest.” As such, Benedict IX’s style for carnal vice — he reportedly held orgies on the Lateran Palace — wasn’t a separate sin however simply one other ingredient within the goulash of unholy conduct he dropped at the position. Living proof: He’s nonetheless the solely pope to straight up dump the papacy to the best bidder when he lastly resigned for good — one thing else I wasn’t conscious was allowed.
