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The Cadaver Synod

AlchoPwn

Public Service is my Motto.
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Nov 2, 2017
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For sheer perversity, this historical event is one of the most remarkable and hilarious, and presents some ongoing issues for the Catholic Church that they would rather not confront. Also, upon searching the forums, the only reference I could find to the Cadaver Synod was one of my own throw-away comments. The incident of the Cadaver Synod is decidedly weird and controversial and therefore pretty Fortean, and y'all need to know...

In the year 897, Pope Stephen VI had his predecessor and political rival Pope Formosus' remains exhumed and forced him to stand trial in the Synoddus Horrenda aka the Cadaver Synod. Sadly this was something of a show trial, as the poor Formosus seemed unable or unwilling to speak in his own defense, though an appointed Deacon spoke in his place. As a result he was convicted of perjury and having acceded to the papacy illegally. As a result his papacy was annulled. The whole debacle was over his "illegal" missionary work in Bulgaria when he should have been overseeing the Bishopric of Porto. Two successive popes (Nicholas I and John VIII) had considered Formosus a rebel who had deserted his post to pollute the minds of Bulgarians, as they would accept no other priest in his place. It is even suggested that John VIII excommunicated him. After his death in 896 Formosus was succeeded by Boniface VI who died after 2 weeks in office, and then Stephen VI came to power and shortly afterwards conducted the Synoddus Horrenda.

Of course Formosus was found guilty, and had his 3 fingers of holy benediction removed (they done chopped off his "blessin' fingers), then his papacy was posthumously annulled, and his remains were cast into the Tiber, and it seemed the matter had ended. Then the bones washed up and started performing miracles, and Stephen VI faced a public uprising, where he was imprisoned and ultimately executed by strangulation. Subsequently Pope Theodore II reinstated Formosus' papacy, and John IX also nullified it, but Pope Sergius III, who had been a co-judge in the Synoddus Horrenda affirmed the synod's findings and that is where the story ends.

The Wiki Entry:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadaver_Synod#Aftermath

Of course this is cause for concern for Catholics as it represents a triple threat to Apostolic Succession, and one that rings down the ages. Not only does it demonstrate the break with Apostolic Succession, in that the last time anyone gave a damn, it was Pope Sergius III who reinstated the legitimacy of the bizarre episode, but it means that Formosus was not a pope, ergo, there was a break in succession.

More problematically, because of Sergius III's support for the Cadaver Synod, its findings are still in place, and that means that every Bishop and Abbott consecrated under Formosus is illegitimate, and that means that the legacy of clergy that follow them are not officially consecrated, which means that had any of those lineages produced a pope, then such a pope would be yet another false pope.

There is also the threat of Donatism, the heresy that says that a priest must be of good moral character to hold their office and perform the sacraments. The official church doctrine is that even a sinful priest can perform the sacraments, as a holy office once bestowed may not be removed, but only resigned, not even if you molest children and puppies. Of course you may be defrocked and excommunicated by a Synod, but that involves someone of superior rank presiding, and is a live pope truly superior to a dead one in this context? I think a screaming mob of religious fanatics strangling a live pope says no, according to God, should He genuinely be taking an interest in proceedings. The condemnation of Formosus is thus actually an example of Donatism, The notion that Stephen VI could actually remove the office of Formosus is dubious, and yet thanks to Sergius III it is still on the books. So, popes performing heresy ex cathedra. Problematic, as it contradicts their infallibility, especially as it involves multiple popes in disagreement, and so they can't all be infallible.

The Wiki for the Donatist heresy:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donatism
 
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