Has any pope been assassinated?

John VIII was the first pope to be assassinated during a particularly turbulent century that would see multiple claimants to the papacy and a succession of violent papal deaths.
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What popes have been murdered?

Murdered popes
  • John VIII (872–882), allegedly poisoned and then clubbed to death.
  • Stephen VI (896–897), strangled.
  • Leo V (903), allegedly strangled.
  • John X (914–928), allegedly smothered with pillow.
  • John XII (955–964), allegedly murdered by the jealous husband of the woman with whom he was in bed.
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What happens if the Pope is murdered?

The death of a pope puts into motion a formal, age-old process that includes certifying his death, arranging for the body to lie in state, organizing a funeral and preparing for the election of a successor. The pope's chief of staff, or camerlengo, is in charge of all arrangements.
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Which pope had a child with his daughter?

And the old man licking his lips at the antics of the call-girls was none other than the Pope himself, Alexander VI, formerly known as Rodrigo Borgia. It is said that his daughter Lucrezia and his son Cesare were also there, enjoying the spectacle.
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Why was the first pope crucified upside down?

His execution was ordered by the Roman Emperor Nero, who blamed the city's Christians for a terrible fire that had ravaged Rome. Peter requested to be crucified upside down, as he felt unworthy to die in the same manner as Christ.
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On this day: Pope John Paul II shot outside the Vatican



Why do they destroy the pope's ring?

The ring "is a sign of authority of a particular pope and so that's why it's so important that the ring itself is destroyed once a papacy ends, so that no one can assert that authority except within whom it has been invested," Dennis told CBC News.
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Why is the pope buried in three coffins?

A pope must be buried between the 4th and 6th day after his death. During much ceremony, John Paul's body was placed in three consecutive coffins, as is tradition. The first of the three coffins is made from cypress, signifying that the pope is an ordinary man no different from any other.
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Who was the youngest pope ever?

Pope Benedict IX (Latin: Benedictus IX; c. 1012 – c. 1056), born Theophylactus of Tusculum in Rome, was Bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States on three occasions between October 1032 and July 1048. Aged approximately 20 at his first election, he is one of the youngest popes in history.
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Was there ever a woman pope?

Pope Joan, legendary female pontiff who supposedly reigned, under the title of John VIII, for slightly more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, between the pontificates of St. Leo IV (847–855) and Benedict III (855–858).
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Is the Pope allowed to have a wife?

You have to learn multiple languages, attend confession, meet with heads of state, lead mass services, and remain celibate. This means the simple answer to this article's question is no, Popes do not marry. However, this hasn't stopped a few popes throughout history bending the rule books.
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Which pope fell off a mule?

Injury and death

During the march, Urban fell from his mule at Narni and had to recover in early October in Rome, where he was able to oust the communal rule of the banderesi and restore the papal authority.
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Who poisoned the pope?

Raimondi says that he went to Italy in 1978 with a team of hit men who murdered John Paul I, according to the New York Post. They allegedly poisoned him with cyanide just 33 days into the pontiff's reign, according to Raimondi's new book, When the Bullet Hits the Bone.
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Who is the real pope?

Pope Francis is the 266th Bishop of Rome. Francis was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, to replace Benedict XVI, who resigned from office two weeks earlier. Themes that have come to define Francis' papacy include poverty, mercy, and joy. Francis is the papal name of Jorge Mario Bergoglio.
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What pope's body did not decompose?

V A T I C A N   C I T Y, March 27, 2001 -- A leading cardinal present when the coffin of Pope John XXIII was opened after 38 years today said the pontiff looked as if he had “died yesterday.” “None of the body had decomposed,” said Cardinal VirgilioNoe, the high priest of St.
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Do popes get embalmed?

Most recent popes have been embalmed, including the last four before John Paul II: Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul I. While he didn't say anything specific about embalming in his testament, John Paul II did state that he wanted to be buried “in the bare earth, not a tomb.”
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Who was first called pope?

Peter, traditionally considered the first pope. Among these, 82 have been proclaimed saints, as have some antipopes (rival claimants to the papal throne who were appointed or elected in opposition to the legitimate pope).
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Does the pope get a salary?

The pope will not be affected by the cuts, because he does not receive a salary. “As an absolute monarch, he has everything at his disposal and nothing at his disposal,” Mr. Muolo said. “He doesn't need an income, because he has everything that he needs.”
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How much is the pope's ring worth?

How much is the pope's ring worth? Pope's ring is worth over $800,000 dollars.
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What color smoke when the pope dies?

The smoke is black if no pope has been elected. The smoke is white if a pope has been elected.
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Was St Paul crucified upside down?

He was crucified upside down because he did not feel he was worthy enough to be crucified upright like Jesus Christ. He was buried in a burial ground near the Circus, where pagans had also been buried.
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Has any pope been married?

There have been at least four Popes who were legally married before taking Holy Orders: St Hormisdas (514–523), Adrian II (867–872), John XVII (1003) and Clement IV (1265–68) – though Hormisdas was already a widower by the time of his election.
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