The ninth century Pope John VIII was brilliant, kind, musically talented \u2026.. and female. Well, probably not, but that\u2019s what some historians say \u2014 and others think it is pure myth.
The object of this blog is not to tell you what to believe. Here\u2019s the story \u2014 it\u2019s up to you to believe\u2026. or not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The story is about Pope Joan \u2014 yep, Joan, not John. According to legend, Pope Joan served as pope during the middle ages.
Although the story of the female pope has several versions, here\u2019s how it usually goes. An English woman named Joan ( or Jeanne) resented the fact that she wasn\u2019t allowed to get an education. At the time, book-learning was thought to be unnecessary, and even harmful, for a woman. So Joan disguised herself as a man \u2014 probably a monk \u2014 and called herself John English (in some versions of the story, John of Mainz.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She went to Athens to study, where she impressed everyone with her scholarship.After her studies, she moved to Rome, where she taught science, became a secretary in the Curia (the central administration arm of the Roman Catholic Church,) and eventually was made a cardinal. Once again, her abilities attracted the attention of scholars \u2014 and \u2014 her conduct was also considered flawless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So Joan, still in disguise, was elected pope. Over the next two years, five months, and four days, she handled the position very well. But then, she gave herself away \u2014 during a solemn procession through the streets of Rome, the pope got down from her horse \u2014 and \u2014 gave birth to a child, then and there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now here\u2019s where the story diverges\u2026. some versions say she died in childbirth or soon afterward. Others say a furious mob tied her to the tail of a horse, dragged her through the city, and finally stoned her to death. And another version has her immediately deposed as pope, but living out a long life, and doing penance \u2014 lots of penance. Some versions say her son grew up to be a bishop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A female pope was first mentioned during the ninth century by a historian called Anatasius the Librarian. Actually, Joan\u2019s name turns up in some early lists of the popes. Several versions of the story were written down by Dominican record keepers during the 13th century. In a report written by Martin of Troppau, a Dominican friar from Poland, in 1265 named names, gave deaths, and placed Joan\u2019s papacy in the 9th century. Since he\u2019d served in the Curia as chaplain to a pope, his story was widely believed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So was Joan real? Probably not. Does it matter? Probably not. Maybe the story tells us something important about the attitudes toward sex and gender back in the middle ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s generally agreed that Joan didn\u2019t exist. According to Vatican records \u2014 and there are a lot of them \u2014 all the popes are accounted for and there\u2019s no Joan among them. The John VIII that their records list has a very complete biography \u2014 he was born in Rome, served as pope from 872 to 882, involved himself heavily in politics, bribed the Saracens to keep them from invading Rome, and was assassinated by his own relatives. A story about him would make a pretty good \u201cpope story\u201d \u2014 but I don\u2019t think it could top Joan\u2019s story.
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The ninth century Pope John VIII was brilliant, kind, musically talented \u2026.. and female. Well, probably not, but that\u2019s what some historians say \u2014 and others think it is pure myth.The object of this blog is not to tell you … Continue reading