A collection of popes have had violent deaths through the centuries. The circumstances have ranged from martyrdom (Pope Stephen I)[1] to war (Lucius II),[2] 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[3]
- Pope Linus (Saint) (c. 67 – c. 76)[4][5]
- Pope Anacletus or Cletus (Saint) (c. 79 – c. 92)[6][4]
- Pope Clement I (Saint) (c. 92 – c. 99), thrown into sea with anchor around his neck[4]
- Pope Evaristus (Saint) (c. 99 – c. 108),[4][5]
- Pope Sixtus I (Saint) (c. 119 – c. 128)[4][5]
- Pope Telesphorus (Saint) (c. 128 – c. 138)[4][7]
- Pope Anicetus (Saint) (155–166), traditionally martyred[4]
- Pope Soter (Saint) (166–175), died a martyr [4]
- Pope Eleuterus (Saint) (175–189), died a martyr[4]
- Pope Victor I (Saint) 189–199, died a martyr[4]
- Pope Calixtus I (Saint) (217–222), died a martyr[4]
- Pope Urban I (Saint) 222–230, died a martyr[4]
- Pope Pontian (Saint) 230–235, condemned to mines in Sardinia and died on island of Tavolara[4]
- Pope Anterus (Saint), elected 21 November 235, martyred at hands of Emperor Maximus[4]
- Pope Fabian (Saint), elected 10 January 236 and died a martyr during persecution and decapitated by Decius[4]
- Pope Cornelius (Saint), elected March 251 and died a martyr June 253[4]
- Pope Lucius I (Saint), elected 25 June 253 and martyred 5 March 254[4]
- Pope Stephen I (Saint), elected 12 May 254 and martyred 2 August 257[4][1]
- Pope Sixtus II (Saint), elected 30 August 257 and martyred 6 August 258[4]
- Pope Dionysius (Saint), elected 22 July 259 after year of persecutions and died 26 December 268, martyred[4]
- Pope Felix I (Saint), elected 5 January 269 and died 30 December 274, martyred[4]
- Pope Eutychian (Saint), elected 4 January 275 and martyred 7 December 283[4]
- Pope Caius (Saint), elected 17 December 283 and martyred 22 April 296 but not at hands of his uncle Diocletian[4]
- Pope Marcellinus (Saint), elected 30 June 296 and martyred 25 October 304 during persecution of Diocletian[4]
- Pope Marcellus I (Saint), elected 27 May 308 after 4-year vacancy and martyred 16 January 309[4]
- Pope Eusebius (Saint), elected 18 April 309 and martyred in Sicily 17 August 309.[4][8]
- 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.[4]
- Pope Martin I (Saint) Elected in 649. Died in exile 16 September 655.
Murdered popes
- Pope Pius I (Saint) (c. 142 – c. 154), martyred by the sword according to old sources.[9] Claim of martyrdom removed from the 1969 General Roman Calendar after recent revisions.[10]
- John VIII (872–882), poisoned and then clubbed to death[11]
- Stephen VI (896–897), strangled[12]
- Leo V (903), allegedly strangled[13]
- John X (914–928), allegedly smothered with a pillow[14]
- John XII (955–964), allegedly murdered by the jealous husband of the woman with whom he was in bed[15]
- Benedict VI (973–974), strangled[16]
- John XIV (983–984), died either by starvation, ill-treatment, or direct murder[17]
- Clement II (1046–1047), allegedly poisoned[18]
- Celestine V (1294–1296), allegedly murdered while in post-abdication captivity. Allegations blame his successor, Pope Boniface VIII.[19]
- Boniface VIII (1294–1303) was in conflict with Philip IV of France and was temporarily abducted by his forces. He died one month later, allegedly as a result of ill-treatment during his abduction.[20]
References
- 1.[1.2]Jacobus de Voragine; William Granger Ryan (1993). The golden legend: readings on the saints. Princeton University Press. p. 39. ISBN 9780691001548.
- 2.Foul Play Suspected in Popes Death? Baltimore Afro-American - October 10, 1978
- 3.Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911), "St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles", Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 11, New York: Robert Appleton Company, retrieved 3 June 2013
- 4.[4.2][4.3][4.4][4.5][4.6][4.7][4.8][4.9][4.10][4.11][4.12][4.13][4.14][4.15][4.16][4.17][4.18][4.19][4.20][4.21][4.22][4.23][4.24][4.25][4.26][4.27]I Sommi Pontifici Romani
- 5.[5.2][5.3]Liber Pontificalis
- 6.Annuario Pontificio
- 7.First pope listed as a martyr by Irenaeus' Against Heresies
- 8.Catholic Encyclopedia: Pope St. Eusebius
- 9.Butler, Alban (1866). "July 11: St. Pius I., Pope and Martyr". The Lives of the Saints. Vol. 7. Dublin: James Duffy. Retrieved 3 June 2013.
- 10."Calendarium Romanum" (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 129
- 11.Mann, H. (1910). Pope John VIII. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved February 14, 2010 from New Advent: https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08423c.htm
- 12.Pope Stephen (VI) VII New Advent.org
- 13.Pope Leo V NewAdvent.org
- 14.Pope John X NewAdvent.org
- 15.Mann, Horace K. (1910). The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, Vol. IV: The Popes in the Days of Feudal Anarchy, 891–999. p. 264
- 16.Pope Benedict VI New Advent.org
- 17.<ref>Pope John XIV<ref> NewAdvent.org
- 18.Pope Clement II NewAdvent.org
- 19.Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1906) History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages vol. 5 part 2
- 20.Pope Boniface VIII NewAdvent.org