For centuries, the pope has reigned supreme as the spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church—no ordinary man, but an absolute monarch. When Pope Benedict XVI shocked the world by stepping down in 2013, he didn’t submit a resignation letter or host a farewell press conference. He simply declared it was so—because that’s how popes … Continue reading Papal Power and Peculiarities: A Wild Ride Through Vatican History
One of the Popes was a 100% accident. In the Middle Ages, cardinals would often vote…
One of the Popes was a 100% accident. In the Middle Ages, cardinals would often vote for a random candidate on the first papal ballot in order to see how the other cardinals were leaning, but in 1334 this backfired when they all voted for the same person: the very surprised Pope Benedict XII.