# List of popes who died violently

A collection of popes have had violent deaths through the centuries. The circumstances have ranged from martyrdom (Pope Stephen I) to war (Lucius II), to an alleged beating by a jealous husband (Pope John XII). A number of other popes have died under circumstances that some believe to be murder, but for which definitive evidence has not been found.

## Martyr popes

* Saint Peter (c. 67), traditionally martyred by upside-down crucifixion
* Pope Linus (Saint) (c. 67 – c. 76)
* Pope Anacletus or Cletus (Saint) (c. 79 – c. 92)
* Pope Clement I (Saint) (c. 92 – c. 99), thrown into sea with anchor around his neck
* Pope Evaristus (c. 99 – c. 108), not listed in the Roman Martyrology but executed
* Pope Sixtus I (Saint) (c. 119 – c. 128)
* Pope Telesphorus (Saint) (c. 128 – c. 138)
* Pope Anicetus (Saint) (155–166), traditionally martyred
* Pope Soter (Saint) (166–175), died a martyr
* Pope Eleuterus (Saint) (175–189), died a martyr
* Pope Victor I (Saint) 189–199, died a martyr
* Pope Calixtus I (Saint) (217–222), died a martyr
* Pope Urban I (Saint) 222–230, died a martyr
* Pope Pontian (Saint) 230–235, condemned to mines in Sardinia and died on island of Tavolara
* Pope Anterus (Saint), elected 21 November 235, martyred at hands of Emperor Maximus
* Pope Fabian (Saint), elected 10 January 236 and died a martyr during persecution and decapitated by Decius
* Pope Cornelius (Saint), elected March 251 and died a martyr June 253
* Pope Lucius I (Saint), elected 25 June 253 and martyred 5 March 254
* Pope Stephen I (Saint), elected 12 May 254 and martyred 2 August 257
* Pope Sixtus II (Saint), elected 30 August 257 and martyred 6 August 258
* Pope Dionysius (Saint), elected 22 July 259 after year of persecutions and died 26 December 268, martyred
* Pope Felix I (Saint), elected 5 January 269 and died 30 December 274, martyred
* Pope Eutychian (Saint), elected 4 January 275 and martyred 7 December 283
* Pope Caius (Saint), elected 17 December 283 and martyred 22 April 296 but not at hands of his uncle Diocletian
* Pope Marcellinus (Saint), elected 30 June 296 and martyred 25 October 10 during persecution of Diocletian
* Pope Marcellus I (Saint), elected 27 May 308 after 4-year vacancy and martyred 16 January 309
* Pope Eusebius (Saint), elected 18 April 309 and martyred in Sicily 17 August 309.
* Pope John I (Saint), elected 13 August 523, during the Ostrogothic occupation of the Italian peninsula. Was sent as an envoy by Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great to Constantinople. Upon return, Theodoric accused John I of conspiracy with the Byzantine empire. Imprisoned and starved to death on 18 May 526.
* Pope Martin I (Saint) Elected in 649. Died in exile 16 September 655.

## Murdered popes

* John VIII (872–882), poisoned and then clubbed to death
* Stephen VI (896–897), strangled
* Leo V (903), allegedly strangled
* John X (914–928), allegedly smothered with a pillow
* John XII (955–964), allegedly murdered by the jealous husband of the woman with whom he was in bed
* Benedict VI (973–974), strangled
* John XIV (983–984), died either by starvation, ill-treatment, or direct murder

## Dubious

* Pope Alexander I (Saint) (c. 106 – c. 119), recognition as the martyred Saint Alexander (feast day May 3) rescinded in 1960
* Pope Hyginus (Saint) (c. 138 – c. 142), martyrdom
* Pope Pius I (Saint) (c. 142 – c. 154), martyred by the sword according to old sources. Claim of martyrdom removed from the 1969 General Roman Calendar after recent revisions.
* Clement II (1046–1047), allegedly poisoned
* Celestine V (1294–1296), allegedly murdered while in post-abdication captivity. Allegations blame his successor, Pope Boniface VIII.
* Boniface VIII (1294–1303), Was in conflict with Philip IV of France and allegedly (though unlikely) died from the effects of ill-treatment one month before.