THREE POPES AT A TIME
Pope Boniface IX was succeeded by Innocent VII (1404-06) and then by Gregory
XII. The French had their own pope, Benedict XIII, at Avignon. In 1409, a
Council held at Pisa declared both Gregory and Benedict were heretics and
elected a 70-year old Milan cardinal as Pope Alexander V. The other two
refused to resign so that the church found itself with three popes, each of
whom promptly excommunicated the others.
Alexander, a glutton, kept 400 uniformed servants at his palace, all female.
He was pope for 10 months only.
The Pisa clique then chose a deacon called Cossa, made him priest and had
him crowned pope the next day with the name John XIII.
THE COUNCIL OF CONSTANCE (1414)
A Council was called “to reduce the number of popes”. The venue chosen was
Constance, a city in Southern Germany on the Swiss border. It was usual for
large clerical meetings to be held near a lake or river for easy disposal of
bodies. Over 500 were flung into Lake Constance during the Council session.
The population had swelled from 6000 to 10 times that number, among them
large numbers of prostitutes for the clergy.
Martin V
John XIII, 48, opened the Council in 1414. In attendance were 300 bishops,
300 theologians and the cardinals of different allegiances. John was
outvoted 3 to 1, a long list of charges was drawn up and he was asked to
step down. He tried to flee but was brought back.
COUNCIL IS ABOVE THE POPE
The Council issued a declaration asserting its authority in no uncertain
terms:
“The holy Council of Constance declares that it constitutes a General
Council representing the Catholic Church and that it has immediate authority
before Christ. All men of every rank and condition, including the Pope
himself, are bound to obey it in matters of faith, the ending of the schism
and the reformation of the church of God…”
It was solemnly agreed to hold a Council within 10 years and thereafter at
regular intervals.
The Council first deposed Benedict XIII - he was already in flight. Next
came John XIII. Charges against him were reduced from 54 to 5 (piracy,
murder, rape, sodomy and incest). He was deposed in 1415 and sentenced to 3
years in jail. Gregory XII resigned the same year. He was 90.
NEXT POPE REVERSES COUNCIL DECISION
In 1417 a fresh pope, Martin V, was now elected. Two days later he was
ordained priest and made bishop the day after. Martin lost no time in
reversing the Council’s ruling, declaring that the pope had supreme
authority above any other body. He dissolved the Council in 1418. He next
re-instated his old friend, Cossa (John XIII) and made him bishop and
cardinal. Martin died in 1431.
RAMPANT CORRUPTION
Clerical corruption and misdeeds had risen to monumental proportions.
- Cardinals usually owed their position to bribery and intrigue. They
routinely promoted their ‘nephews’ (actually sons), etc.
- Cardinals lived in huge palaces with hundreds of servants. Most clerics
had female ‘companions’.
- The Curia drew up a tariff for appointees to every see, abbey or parish.
Every bishop had to pay handsomely for the pallium (a decorative woollen
band with trimmings), bringing in millions of gold florins to the papal
coffers.
- Payment was demanded to be dispensed from Lenten fasting and for
indulgences.
- Many a couple were accused of being blood related (to their surprise) and
unable to marry unless of course they paid up.
POPE NICHOLAS V BACKS COLONIAL CONQUEST
Nicholas decided to give Portugal full backing for imperial conquest. A
Papal Bull (decree) issued about 1454 declared (in extract):
“Our joy is immense to know that our dear son, Henry, Prince of Portugal,
inspired with a zeal for souls has brought into the Catholic fold the
perfidious enemies of God and Christ like the Saracens and Infidels…
“After careful deliberation, we have conceded to King Affonso the right,
total and absolute, to invade, conquer and subdue all the countries under
the rule of the enemies of Christ, Saracen or pagan.
“We wish the said King Affonso, the Prince and their successors to occupy
and possess exclusively the said islands, ports and seas and all faithful
Christians are prohibited to encroach on their sovereignty…”
[Note, Nicholas, so called Vicar of Christ, has no qualms about grabbing the
lands of others.
So how has the Holy Spirit guided him or is the Holy Spirit himself
muddled??]
REFERENCES
1. Vicars of Christ, Peter de Rosa (Corgi 1994)
2. Popes through the Ages, J Brusher (New Advent 1996)
3. Chronicles of the Popes, P Maxwell-Stuart (Thomas & Hudson, 1997)
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Eddie
