“The abundant life”

Formosus was a busy man (at least, once he he hit his fifties). He became a cardinal-bishop in 864 and promptly became good friends with the Hungarian court during the latter half of the decade. He was also sent to help settle domestic troubles in the court of King Lothair II (who really wanted to divorce his wife Theutberga). Unfortunately Lothair promptly caught a fever and died. Probably not the exit from his marriage he had hoped for.

This, of course, set up a conflict of succession – of which Formosus ended up on the wrong side. He was charged with “despoiling the cloisters” among other crimes and was excommunicated. He would be later further accused and further pardoned, which somehow led (alas the details lost forever) to becoming pope in 891 - at which point he was about 75 years of age (just a skosh over the average lifespan in those days).

The new pope had to deal with all the political bickering and subterfuge one would expect (including encouraging an invasion of Italy to eliminate an obnoxious emperor). But more importantly, I’d like to point out that there was actually a king during this time named Charles the Fat. When I read his name I assumed “fat” must mean “plenty” — the fat of the land, that sort of thing. But no, apparently he was “considered lethargic and inept…and known to have had repeated illnesses.” Then again, with an uncle named Charles the Bald, I imagine the family had simply resigned themselves to historical ignominy.

“Dying is a wild night and a new road.”

Formosus is perhaps most famous for participating (unwillingly, one would assume) in the Cadaver Synod. Emperor Lambert was upset with Formosus (a grudge he couldn’t let die?) and so had the current Pope (Stephen VI) exhume Formosus, dress him in full vestments, place him on the throne, and put him on trial. Here’s a pleasant little painting of the proceedings:

The Verdict?

Guilty (of being an unfit pope). The punishment? According to the Catholica Encyclopedia, “the papal vestments were torn from his body; the three fingers which the dead pope had used in consecrations were severed from his right hand” and his body was buried in a foreigner’s graveyard, then exhumed (again) and tossed into the Tiber River.

However, it should be noted that eventually Formosus’ body did make it to St. Peters. There it remains (if I may), waiting for the day it can be exhumed and/or be put on trial just one more time.

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sources:

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06139b.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/world/pope/timeline/html/formosus.stm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Formosus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lothair_II_of_Lotharingia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_the_Fat