You're Dead to Me Early Medieval Papacy (Radio Edit)
24 snips
Oct 24, 2025 Join medieval historian Brett Whalen, an expert on the papacy, and comedian Alison Spittle for a dive into the chaotic world of the early medieval papacy. They explore the absurdities of 9th-century Rome, including the outrageous Cadaver Synod—where a dead pope was put on trial! Brett reveals the tumultuous turnover of popes and the power struggles that reshaped the Church. Alison spices it up with her comedic insights. Together, they unravel the drama and debauchery of a pivotal time in papal history.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
The Cadaver Synod Spectacle
- Pope Formosus' corpse was exhumed, dressed in papal robes and put on trial in 897.
- His three blessing fingers were ceremonially broken and he was reburied in a commoner's grave.
Stephen VI's Violent Comeuppance
- Pope Stephen VI, who staged the Cadaver Synod, was later deposed, stripped of vestments and strangled to death.
- His downfall came amid backlash from Formosus' supporters like Auxilius of Naples.
Body Thrown In The Tiber, Then Found
- Supporters later recovered Formosus' body after it was thrown into the Tiber to prevent relic veneration.
- Accounts claim a fisherman or monk found the corpse, fueling efforts to rehabilitate him.
