2 then 3 Popes Christiantimelines.com and Studychurchhistory.com presents Summaries of Christianity Information and 150+ summaries at christiantimelines.com/summaries.htm or click at bottom A Change in Leadership Can Be Challenging A change in leadership can be challenging. Hopefully, the change will be a smooth transition, as from Pope John Paul II to the present Pope. But sometimes the change is rocky, such as in the presidential election of 2000 and in a stretch of popes during the 1300s and 1400s. This is the story of the time when two and then three men claimed to be pope at the same time. Everything was going according to plan in 1304. Pope Benedict XI died that year, and the conclave was proceeding normally. Except that it kept going on and on. (The last conclave to elect the present pope lasted three days.) After eleven months(!!), the conclave elected a new pope: Clement V. He was French and living in France, and so the coronation occurred in France in front of the king.

After that, though, he settled in Avignon, France instead of moving to Rome; he died there in 1314. The next conclave did not meet for over two years; during that time the Catholic Church had no pope. Eventually the conclave met in Lyons, France and another Frenchman was elected pope, John XXII in 1316. He decided to live in Avignon, France instead of in Rome. As a matter of fact, so did the next five popes, from 1316 to 1377. (This approximately seventy-year period has been nicknamed the "Babylonian Captivity of the Church" from the seventy years that the Jews were held in captivity by the Babylonian Empire in the sixth century BC.) In the absence of a pope in Rome for so long, problems arose in Italy. Eventually Pope Gregory XI (the seventh Avignon pope) decided to visit Rome in an attempt to restore order. He entered Rome on January 17, 1377. His visit was a rocky one, and he considered returning to Avignon. However, he died in Rome on March 13, 1378.

A new pope was elected in Rome, Urban VI (1378-1389). Once elected, though, his personality and character changed. This caused division among the cardinals. Some of the cardinals gathered and elected a new pope, Clement VII (1378-1394). And where did this new pope live? Avignon. Now two men claimed to be pope. Both sides continued to elect popes as their own popes died. In 1409 cardinals on both sides agreed to meet at a Council of Pisa. They deposed both popes and elected another pope, Alexander V (1409-1410). However, neither of the other popes agreed to step down: stalemate with three popes. Alexander died the next year, and John XXIII was elected (1410-1415). But he did not die while being pope. This is what happened. Another Council was called, this time in Constance. John XXIII was deposed at the Council of Constance and placed in prison. The pope in Rome, Gregory XII, resigned. The pope in Avignon was also deposed.

(He lived out his life believing he was the true pope.) The Council of Constance elected a new pope, Martin V, and the Catholic Church was back to one man who claimed to be pope. Two notes of interest. The men who claimed to be pope during the "Babylonian Captivity" are considered to be true popes. Those who lived in Avignon and claimed to be popes while there was a pope in Rome are officially known as "antipopes," meaning they were not really popes. Also, the two popes who came out of the Council of Pisa, Alexander V and, upon his death, John XXIII, are also known as antipopes. That is why another man could choose the name "John XXIII" when he became pope in 1958. ï¿½2009 Mark Nickens Questions/comments contact Mark at drnickens@triad.rr.com . To go to Summaries, click here . Papal History: The List of Popes The List of Popes Tweet The Pope is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, and is, according to Catholic teaching, God's representative on Earth. The list of popes begins with St.

Peter, one of the original Apostles of Jesus Christ. Peter founded the Christian church in Rome in the days of the pagan Roman Empire. Pope Benedict the XVI is the current head of the Roman Catholic Church. St. Peter (32-67) St. Sixtus I (115-125) Also called Xystus I St. Telesphorus (125-136) St. Victor I (189-199) St. Zephyrinus (199-217) St. Callistus I (217-22) Callistus and the following three popes were opposed by St. Hippolytus, antipope (217-236) St. Urban I (222-30) St. Cornelius (251-53) Opposed by Novatian, antipope (251) St. Lucius I (253-54) St. Caius (283-296) Also called Gaius St. Marcellinus (296-304) St.

Eusebius (309 or 310) St. Miltiades (311-14) Liberius (352-66) Opposed by Felix II, antipope (355-365) St. Damasus I (366-83) Opposed by Ursicinus, antipope (366-367) St. Siricius (384-99) St. Boniface I (418-22) Opposed by Eulalius, antipope (418-419) St. Celestine I (422-32) St. Leo I (the Great) (440-61) St. Hilarius (461-68) St. Felix III (II) (483-92) St. Gelasius I (492-96) St. Symmachus (498-514) Opposed by Laurentius, antipope (498-501) St. Hormisdas (514-23) St.

Felix IV (III) (526-30) Boniface II (530-32) Opposed by Dioscorus, antipope (530) John II (533-35) St. Agapetus I (535-36) Also called Agapitus I St. Silverius (536-37) St. Gregory I (the Great) (590-604) Sabinian (604-606) St. Deusdedit (Adeodatus I) (615-18) Boniface V (619-25) St.

Sergius I (687-701) Opposed by Theodore and Paschal, antipopes (687) John VI (701-05) Stephen II (752) Because he died before being consecrated, many authoritative lists omit him Stephen III (752-57) Stephen IV (767-72) Opposed by Constantine II (767) and Philip (768), antipopes (767) Adrian I (772-95) Sergius II (844-47) Opposed by John, antipope (855) St. Leo IV (847-55) Benedict III (855-58) Opposed by Anastasius, antipope (855) St.

Nicholas I (the Great) (858-67) Adrian II (867-72) Leo V (903) Opposed by Christopher, antipope (903-904) Sergius III (904-11) Benedict VII (974-83) Benedict and John XIV were opposed by Boniface VII, antipope (974; 984-985) John XIV (983-84) Gregory V (996-99) Opposed by John XVI, antipope (997-998) Sylvester II (999-1003) Benedict VIII (1012-24) Opposed by Gregory, antipope (1012) John XIX (1024-32) Benedict IX (1032-45) He appears on this list three separate times, because he was twice deposed and restored Sylvester III (1045) Considered by some to be an antipope Benedict IX (1045) Nicholas II (1058-61) Opposed by Benedict

 X, antipope (1058) Alexander II (1061-73) Opposed by Honorius II, antipope (1061-1072) St.

Gregory VII (1073-85) Gregory and the following three popes were opposed by Guibert ("Clement III"), antipope (1080-1100) Victor III (1086-87) Urban II (1088-99) Paschal II (1099-1118) Opposed by Theodoric (1100), Aleric (1102) and Maginulf ("Sylvester IV", 1105-1111), antipopes (1100) Gelasius II (1118-19) Opposed by Burdin ("Gregory VIII"), antipope (1118) Callistus II (1119-24) Honorius II (1124-30) Opposed by Celestine II, antipope (1124) Innocent II (1130-43) Opposed by Anacletus II (1130-1138) and Gregory Conti ("Victor IV") (1138), antipopes (1

138) Celestine II (1143-44) Anastasius IV (1153-54) Adrian IV (1154-59) Alexander III (1159-81) Opposed by Octavius ("Victor IV") (1159-1164), Pascal III (1165-1168), Callistus III (1168-1177) and Innocent III (1178-1180), antipopes Lucius III (1181-85) John XXII (1316-34) Opposed by Nicholas V, antipope (1328-1330) Benedict XII (1334-42) Gregory XI (1370-78) Urban VI (1378-89) Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII"), antipope (1378-1394) Boniface IX (1389-1404) Opposed by Robert of Geneva ("Clement VII") (1378-139

4), Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes Innocent VII (1404-06) Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417) and Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), antipopes Gregory XII (1406-15) Opposed by Pedro de Luna ("Benedict XIII") (1394-1417), Baldassare Cossa ("John XXIII") (1400-1415), and Pietro Philarghi ("Alexander V") (1409-1410), antipopes Martin V (1417-31) Eugene IV (1431-47) Opposed by Amadeus of Savoy ("Felix V"), antipope (1439-1449) Nicholas V (1447-55) John Paul I (1978)

 John Paul II (1978-2005) Benedict XVI (2005-2013)-In February, 2013, the Vatican announced that Pope Benedict the XVI would resign his position as head of the Roman Catholic Church.

This is the first Papal retirement, since 1415, and the resignation of Pope Gregory XII, whose forced resignation was a turning point in the end of the schism in the Church. Francis I (2013)-In March, 2013, following the surprise retirement of Benedict XVI, the Conclave of Cardinals met and chose Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as the new Pope. Bergoglio chose as his Papal name, Francis. Pope Francis is the first Pope from the Americas, and the first Jesuit Pope. Apologetics Press - Were the Popes Really Celibate? Were the Popes Really Celibate? by Moisés Pinedo Although the Bible clearly does not support the doctrine of celibacy as a requisite to any office of the church (see Pinedo , 2008), the Catholic Church has established celibacy as a distinctive mark of the papacy and other Catholic offices.

In fact, the current pope, Benedict XVI, affirmed that celibacy (imposed by Pope Gregory VII in the Council of Rome in 1074) “is really a special way of conforming oneself to Christ’s own way of life” (“Pope Pens...,” 2007). Therefore, whoever wants to serve as a priest, and finally as the Universal Bishop of the Catholic Church (the pope), must be celibate. According to Catholic doctrine, Peter was the “first pope.” And, since popes are considered to be Peter’s successors and keepers of Petrine tradition, one would expect them to follow Peter’s example in every aspect—including the acceptance or rejection of celibacy. Matthew 8:14-15 records that Jesus healed one of Peter’s relatives. This relative was none other than his mother-in-law. The text states, “Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever” (emp. added). Some have tried to argue that this lady was the mother-in-law of another disciple—not Peter.

However, the grammar of the text in Matthew (and in the parallel records of Mark and Luke) is very clear when it says that Jesus came to Peter’s house and saw his mother-in-law (cf. Mark 1:30; Luke 4:38). The only conclusion from a straightforward reading of the text is that if Jesus saw Peter’s mother-in-law, then Peter had a wife! The apostle Paul also confirmed that Peter was married when he wrote, “Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?” (1 Corinthians 9:5, emp. added). Paul identified Peter (also called Cephas; cf. John 1:42; 1 Corinthians 1:12) as someone who already had taken advantage of his right to be married. Additionally, in the first epistle that bears his name, the apostle Peter identified himself as an elder of the church (cf. 1 Peter 5:1).

And, as the New Testament teaches, one of the qualifications of elders of the church is to be “the husband of one wife, having faithful children” (Titus 1:5-6). Every piece of biblical evidence on this subject points to the fact that Peter was a married man. While Catholics appeal to Peter for support of the papacy, ironically, they will not appeal to Peter to argue in favor of papal celibacy for one important reason: Peter was not celibate! Here Catholics exalt Paul, who opted to be celibate. But if popes are the alleged successors of Peter (not Paul), should they not follow Peter’s example? Like many other teachings of the Catholic Church, celibacy is a man-made doctrine. Though many consider it as a sign of purity, celibacy, imposed on those who aspire to ecclesiastical office, is simply a sign of apostasy (1 Timothy 4:1-3). Consider, for example, the immoral things many “celibate” popes did during their papacies. Pope Sergius III served as pope from A.D. 904 to 911.

History records that he began a “shameful succession” of immoral popes (Schaff, 1910, 4:285). He “owed his elevation [to the papacy—MP] to the influence of the shameless Theodora [a Roman noblewoman—MP] and her no less shameless daughters Marozia and Theodora.... He was grossly immoral, and lived in licentious relations with Marozia, who bore him several children, among them the future pope John XI” (McClintock and Strong, 1867-1880, 9:570). Pope John XII served as pope from A.D. 955 to 963. He is considered “one of the most scandalous popes of history” (“John XII,” 1997). Philip Schaff noted that “[h]e was one of the most immoral and wicked popes, ranking with Benedict IX., John XXIII., and Alexander VI.

He was charged by a Roman Synod, no one contradicting, with almost every crime of which...human nature is capable, and deposed as a monster of iniquity” (1910, 4:287). Writing around A.D. 1000, a Catholic monk recorded that “John XII loved hunting, had vain thoughts, liked women reunions more than liturgical and ecclesiastical assemblies, was pleased by tumultuous insolences of young people and, concerning lasciviousness and audacity, he surpassed even the pagans” (quoted in Hernández, n.d.). It is recorded that he died “of a stroke while in bed with a married woman” (Walsh, 2001, p. 663). Pope John XXIII served as pope from A.D. 1410 to 1415. It is said that “he was destitute of every moral virtue, and capable of every vice” (Schaff, 1910, 6:145). He was accused “on seventy charges, which included almost every crime known to man.

He had been unchaste from his youth,...committed adultery with his brother’s wife, violated nuns and other virgins, was guilty of sodomy and other nameless vices” (Schaff, 6:158). Finally, he was removed from office by the Council of Constance and erased from the official list of the papacy. Pope Innocent VIII served as pope from A.D. 1484 to 1492. “His conduct was disgracefully irregular: he had seven illegitimate children by different women, and was, besides, married when he took orders” (McClintock and Strong, 1867-1880, 4:593). It is said that his children numbered “16, all of them children by married women” (Schaff, 1910, 6:438). It also is said that “the success of Innocent VIII in increasing the population of Rome was a favorite topic with the wits of the day” (McClintock and Strong, 4:594). Pope Alexander VI served as pope from A.D. 1492 to 1503.

In their Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature, McClintock and Strong point out that Alexander is considered “the most depraved of all the popes” (1867-1880, 4:594). They explained: “His youth was a very dissolute one; and he early formed a criminal connection with a Roman lady living in Spain with her two daughters. He soon seduced the daughters also; and one of them, Rosa Vanozza, became his life-long mistress.... His pontificate of eleven years was a stormy one, as he made every thing subordinate to the purpose of raising his bastard children above the heads of the oldest princely houses of Italy” (1:145-146). A Roman Catholic historian says that he was “one of the greatest and most horrible monsters in nature that could scandalize the holy chair.

His beastly morals, his immense ambition, his insatiable avarice, his detestable cruelty, his furious lusts, and monstrous incest with his daughter Lucretia, are, at large, described by Guicciardini Ciaconius, and other authentic papal historians” (as quoted in Barnes, 2005b, p. 82). The following words summarize Pope Alexander’s life: “To Alexander nothing was sacred,—office, virtue, marriage, or life” (Schaff, 1910, 6:462). Pope Paul III served as pope from A.D. 1534 to 1549. Before his pontificate, he had four children—Pier Luigi, Paolo, Ranuccio, and Costanza—by a Roman mistress (see “Paul III,” 1997, 9:205). History summarizes his life as “largely given up to pleasure and frivolity.

He kept low company, supported mistresses, became a father, and in many ways gained an unenviable notoriety” (McClintock and Strong, 1867-1880, 7:831). More examples could be given, since papal history is characterized more by its sins than by its “holiness.” But the examples listed above clearly prove that many “celibate” popes were anything but celibate, and moreover, anything but chaste. When men departed further from the truth of God’s Word, they deified themselves, choosing an earthly representative (the pope) to usurp the place of God. Many immoral men, thirsty for glory and power, desired the human office (i.e., the papacy) that apostasy promoted. These men fought for this office, hating each other and killing their fellow man. And, in their zeal, they pretended to fulfill the demand for celibacy imposed by human tradition, while giving free rein to their carnal passions. What sacrifice did these “selfless” popes endure by being “celibate” (i.e., unmarried) if they had the lovers they desired?

What altruism did these popes exhibit by disallowing themselves to have only one wife, yet diving into indescribable immoralities with many lovers, including relatives, nuns, prostitutes, and other men’s wives during nights of “celibate solitude”? The truth is, this kind of “celibacy” has produced many illegitimate children in the history of Catholic religion! The Catholic who points to 1 Corinthians 7:7-8 in order to provide biblical support to papal celibacy, should read the advice of Paul in the following verse in order to see that celibacy is not demanded, nor should it be sought in order to institute a certain ecclesiastical order: “[B]ut if they cannot exercise self-control, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion” (1 Corinthians 7:9, emp. added). Many popes, as well as many local bishops, priests, monks, nuns, etc., have burned with passion for centuries, and many are adding logs to the fire today.

The Bible warns: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8, emp. added). REFERENCES Barnes, Albert (2005), Notes on the New Testament: 1 Thessalonians to Philemon (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker). Hernández, Jesús (no date), “A Shameful Pontificate” [“Un Pontificado Vergonzoso”], [On-line], URL: “John XII” [“Juan XII”] (1997), Espasa Universal Chronology [Cronología Universal Espasa] (Espasa Calpe, S.A.: Microsoft Corporation). McClintock, John and James Strong (1867-1880), Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological, and Ecclesiastical Literature (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), 1968-1970 reprint.

“Pope Pens Exhortation on the Eucharist” (2007), Zenit, March 13, [On-line], URL: “Paul III” (1997), Encyclopaedia Britannica (London: Encyclopaedia Britannica). Pinedo, Moisés (2008), “Should the Pope Be Celibate?,” [On-line], URL: . Schaff, Philip (1910), History of the Christian Church (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans). Walsh, Michael, ed. (2001), Dictionary of Christian Biography (Collegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press). Popes of the 20th Century Popes of the 20th Century Popes of the 20th Century History of the Roman Catholic Papacy and Church Fox Photos / Stringer/Hulton Archive/Getty Images By Austin Cline Updated September 11, 2016. Below is a list of all of the popes who reigned during the twentieth century. The first number is which pope they were.

This is followed by their chosen name, the starting and ending dates of their reigns, and finally the number of years they were pope. Follow the links to read short biographies of each pope and learn about what they did, what they believed, and what impact they had on the course of the Roman Catholic Church . 257. Pope Leo XIII : February 20, 1878 - July 20, 1903 (25 years) Pope Leo XIII not only ushered the Church into the 20th century, he also tried to help improve the Church's transition into a modern world and modern cultures. He supported some democratic reforms and the rights of workers. 258. Pope Pius X : August 4, 1903 - August 20, 1914 (11 years) Pope Pius X is known as a thoroughly anti - modernist pope, using Church power in order to maintain the line of tradition against the forces of modernity and liberalism. He opposed democratic institutions and created a secret network of informers to report on the suspicious activities of priests and others. 259.

Pope Benedict XV: September 1, 1914 - January 22, 1922 (7 years) Not only inconsequential during World War I because of his attempt to provide a voice of neutrality, Benedict XV was viewed with suspicion by all governments because of his efforts to reunite displaced families. 260. Pope Pius XI : February 6, 1922 - February 10, 1939 (17 years) For Pope Pius XI, communism was a greater evil than Nazism - and as a result, he signed a concordat with Hitler in the hopes that this relationship might help stem the rising tide of communism which was threatening from the East. 261. Pope Pius XII : March 2, 1939 - October 9, 1958 (19 years, 7 months) The papacy of Eugenio Pacelli occurred during the difficult era of World War II, and it is likely that even the best of popes would have had a troubling reign. Pope Pius XII may have exacerbated his problems, however, by failing to do enough to help the Jews who were suffering persecution.

262. John XXIII : October 28, 1958 - June 3, 1963 (4 years, 7 months) Not to be confused with the 15th-century antipope Baldassarre Cossa , this John XXIII continues to be one of the most beloved popes in recent Church history. John was the one who convened the Second Vatican Council, a meeting which inaugurated many changes in the Roman Catholic Church - not as many as some hoped for and more than some feared. 263. Pope Paul VI : June 21, 1963 - August 6, 1978 (15 years) Although Paul VI was not responsible for calling the Second Vatican Council, he was responsible to ending it and for beginning the process of carrying out its decisions. He is perhaps most remembered, however for his encyclical Humanae Vitae. 264.

Pope John Paul I : August 26, 1978 - September 28, 1978 (33 days) Pope John Paul I had one of the shortest reigns in the history of the papacy - and his death is a matter of some speculation among conspiracy theorists. Many believe that he was murdered in order to prevent him from learning or revealing embarrassing facts about the Church. 265. Pope John Paul II : October 16, 1978 - April 2, 2005 The currently reigning pope, Pope John Paul II is also one of the longest reigning popes in the history of the Church. John Paul as tried to steera course between reform and tradition, often siding more strongly with the forces of tradition, much to the dismay of progressive Catholics. CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Antipope John XXIII Home > Catholic Encyclopedia > J > John XXIII John XXIII Help support New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download . Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more  all for only $19.99...

Antipope of the Pisan party (1400-15), b. about 1370; d. 22 November, 1419. Cardinal Baldassare Cossa was one of the seven cardinals who, in May, 1408, deserted Gregory XII , and, with those belonging to the obedience of Benedict XIII (see PEDRO DE LUNA ), convened the Council of Pisa , of which Cossa became the leader. Descended from a noble but impoverished Neapolitan family , he embraced in his youth a military career, but later forsook it for the service of the Church . Endowed with great energy and very talented, he studied law at Bologna, where he took his doctor's degree, and then entered the service of the papal curia. On 27 February, 1402, Boniface IX made him Cardinal-Deacon of St. Eustachius, and in the following year appointed him legate of Romandiola.

On 17 March, 1403, he set out for Bologna, where, until 1408, he proved himself an astute financial administrator of the papal territory, as well as a skilful statesman and able commander. At the same time he was utterly worldly-minded, ambitious, crafty, unscrupulous, and immoral, a good soldier but no churchman. He played an important part in the Council of Pisa (1409), and, when the two popes , Gregory XII of Rome and Benedict XIII of Avignon , were deposed, he conducted the election of Pietro Philarghi, who was elevate to the papacy and crowned as Alexander V . The new pope was entirely under the influence of Baldassare Cossa. The latter supported Louis of Anjou in a military expedition against Ladislaus of Naples. Louis seized on several fortresses in the Ecclesiastical States, and in 1400 captured Rome . Alexander V was now proclaimed pope at Rome , but refused to leave Bologna, where he died on 3 May, 1410.

In the hope of procuring an understanding with that pope , Prince Malatesta of Rimini , protector of Gregory XII , begged the cardinals of the Pisan obedience to defer a new election. These cardinals assembled at Bologna would not consent, but, supported by Louis of Anjou and the city of Florence, elected Baldassare Cossa, 17 May, 1410. On 24 May Cossa was ordained priest , and on the following day was consecrated and crowned pope , taking the name of John XXIII. Soon after he ascended the throne, John received an ambassador from Sigismund of Hungary , who wished to confer with him about the political and religious affairs of his kingdom. On 18 May King Ruprecht of Germany , the firm supporter of Gregory XII , died. The electors of Mainz and Cologne wrote informing John that they intended to elect Sigismund, King of Hungary , as King of Germany .

As Sigismund had, even before he heard of Ruprecht's death, entered into negotiations with the Pisan pope , John exerted himself all the more readily on his behalf, and on 21 July Sigismund, who had become reconciled with his brother Wenzel of Behemia, was chosen King of Germany . Sigismund's election was also recognized by Gregory XII . In April, 1411, John XXIII advanced with Louis of Anjou upon Rome , where they vigorously prosecuted the war against Ladislaus of Naples, and completely routed him at the battle of Roccasecca (19 May, 1411), but made no use of their victory. Soon afterwards, Louis of Anjou returned to France , thus enabling Ladislaus to rally his troops and strengthen his positions. Subsequently, John began negotiations with Ladislaus in spite of the excommunication of 11 August, 1411.

Ladislaus thereupon abandoned the cause of Gregory , and acknowledged John as legitimate pope , in recognition of which the latter withdrew his excommunication , enfeoffed Ladislaus with the Kingdom of Naples , consented to his conquest of Sicily , appointed him gonfalonier, or standard-bearer, of the Roman Church , and gave him financial aid (16 October, 1412). In conformity with a resolution passed at the Council of Pisa , John had summoned a new council to meet at Rome on 29 April, 1412, for the purpose of carrying out ecclesiastical reforms. He also appointed a number of new cardinals , among whom were many able men, such as Francesco Zarabella of Florence, Pierre d'Ailly, Bishop of Cambrai , Guillaume Fillastre, dean of Reims , and Robert Hallam, Bishop of Salisbury . From the beginning of 1412 conferences and meetings of the clergy had been held throughout France in preparation for this council, among the representatives appointed by the king being Cardinal Pierre d'Ailly and Patriarch Cramaud , created cardinal in 1413.

But, when the council was opened in April, there were so very few participants that it had to be prorogued several times. When the sessions finally began, the only thing accomplished was the condemnation of the writings of Wycliff , the council being dissolved in March, 1413. John's regrettable weakness in dealing with Ladislaus of Naples soon led to another attack by the latter upon papal territory. In May, 1413, he invaded the Roman province, and John was compelled to fly with his cardinals . He escaped to Florence , where he sought the protection of Sigismund, King of Germany , then labouring in Northern Italy for the convocation of a general council to put an end to the unfortunate schism . John's legates were authorized to come to an understanding with Sigismund on this matter, and Sigismund took advantage of the pope's predicament to insist on the selection of Constance as the meeting-place of the council.

On 30 October, 1413, Sigismund invited Popes Gregory XII and Benedict XIII and all Christendom to attend, and prevailed on John XXIII, with whom he had a meeting at Lodi towards the end of November, to issue the Convocation Bull (9 December, 1413) of the general council to be opened at Constance on 1 November, 1414. By the sudden death of Ladislaus (6 August, 1414) John's position in Italy was improved, and he could now return to Rome . But the cardinals urgently protested that his presence was needed at the Council of Constance , and that he must adhere to his promise of presiding in person, and direct there the treatment of all ecclesiastical matters. On 1 October, 1414, John set out for Constance with a large following and supplied with ample means, but with heavy heart and anxious forebodings. Timidity and suspicion had replaced the warlike spirit he had shown as cardinal . On his way through the Tyrol he formed an alliance with Frederick of Austria , who was on terms of enmity with Sigismund.

John and his nine cardinals made their entry into Constance on 29 October, 1414, and on 5 November the council was opened. The prospects of the Pisan pope became daily more hopeless. The emperor had not bound himself by any permanent obligation towards John. He had needed this pope , as possessing ;the largest obedience, to bring about the council, but, from the summer of 1413, he had come to the conclusion that unity could be promoted only by the abdication or the deposal of all three claimants of the papacy . John at first dominated the council, while he endeavoured to increase his adherents by presents, and, by the aid of spies, to learn the temper of the members. However, the hostility of the council towards him became ever more apparent. The chief spokesmen among his cardinals were Pierre d'Ailly and Fillastre; after Sigismund's arrival even these plainly expressed their opinion that the only way to put an end to the schism was by the abdication of all three popes .

In the second session of the council, John was persuaded to read aloud a formal promise of voluntary abdication of the papacy (2 March, 1415), and to repeat this promise in a Bull of 8 March. But on 20 March he fled secretly from Constance to Schaffhausen in the territory of Duke Frederick of Austria , and thence to Freiburg im Breisgau, which belonged to the Duke of Burgundy , also his adherent. John's flight, in consequence of the great difficulties it caused the council, only increased the hostility towards him, and, while he himself tried to negotiate further concerning his abdication, his supporters were obliged to submit to Sigismund. Formally deposed in the twelfth session (29 May, 1415), John made his submission and commended himself to the mercy of the council. John was accused of the gravest offences in several inimical writings as well as in the formal charges of the council. Undeniably secular and ambitious, his moral life was not above reproach, and his unscrupulous methods in no wise accorded with the requirements of his high office.

On the other hand, the heinous crimes of which his opponents in the council accused him were certainly gravely exaggerated. After his abdication he was again known as Baldassare Cossa, and was given into the custody of the Palatine Louis, who had always been his enemy. The latter kept him confined in different places (Rudolfzell, Gottlieben, Heidelberg, and Mannheim). At the forty-second session of the council, 28 Dec., 1417, after Martin V had been elected, the release of Cossa was decreed. It was not, however, till the following year that he recovered his liberty. He then set out for Florence, where Martin V was staying, and did homage to him as the Head of the Church . On 23 June, 1419, the new pope made him Cardinal-Bishop of Tusculum. But Cossa was completely crushed, and died a few months later at Florence , where he was buried in the baptistery beside the cathedral . Cosimo de Medici erected a magnificent tomb to his memory.

Gay Popes Follow DL on Gay Popes How many have there been?%0D %0D %0D %0D The current one seems gay as hell by Pope Joan reply 10 12/12/2010 The Borgia popes were all horndogs. The last two have been gay as French horns though. by Pope Joan reply 1 12/11/2010 All of them if you ask me. I know there are histories of some that were married and had kids. Anyone can be elected Pope, they don't have to be priests. Even Cardinals can be lay people, but in modern times, the fix and always been in and not one lay person has been nominated for Pope or Cardinal. It's basically and inbred organization now which is in it for power and money. But hell, it's all mumbo jumbo and become ever closer to respectable slight of hand magic. Go figure. by Pope Joan reply 3 12/11/2010 There have been more than 250 popes, so I'd say at least 25 have been gay.

by Pope Joan reply 4 12/11/2010 Of recent times, Paul VI, who was outed in a big scandal by Roger Peyrefitte in the 70s is the most obvious. Paul had to go public and deny it, which caused many snickers in Roman upper class society - he was from an aristocratic family, so the backstory was well known to them. Pasolini also outed him. Paul VI's longtime boyfriend was actor Paolo Carlini. Another rumored boyfriend was Edmund Purdom when he was young, and Paul was Archbishop of Milan. Both the previous two popes were also rumored to have been homosexual. by Pope Joan

Question: How many Popes were there in 1410?
Answer: 3