Stefanus di Roma

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Biography

Pope Stephen VI di Roma is Notable.

Stephen was born in Rome in the 9th Century. His father, John, was a priest.^[1]

Stephen was made bishop of Anagni by Pope Formosus.^[1]

Horace Mann^[2] states:

Stephen... was a Roman and the son of a priest John. ...

The same Catalogues inform us that, before he became Pope, Stephen had been one of the Campanian bishops; and, more precisely, Auxilius says that Pope Formosus consecrated him bishop of Anagni, and that he had occupied that position for five years when he was elected Pope.

He was chosen to replace Boniface, if not at the beginning of May, at least before June 11, 896, as there is extant a diploma of the latter date which shows that Stephen was then Pope. ...

But Stephen's career of violence was destined to be short-lived. He was seized, clothed as a monk, loaded with chains, thrown into a dungeon, and somewhere about the close of July or the beginning of August, strangled.

According to Flocknote Popes in a Year:^[3]

He was in office little more than a year and died a rather undignified death. He was imprisoned for the scandal of the Cadaver Synod, and strangled to death in the summer of 897.

Stephen VI is infamous for being the instigator of the Cadaver Synod, the “strangest and most terrible trial in human history” that involved digging up the rotting corpse of Pope Formosus, dressing it in papal garb, and placing it on trial for a number of charges against canon law.

Stephen VI appointed a deacon to "speak" for the deceased pontiff, but Formosus was nevertheless found guilty. The corpse was stripped of its vestments, had two fingers on its right hand (used for consecrations and blessings) cut off, and was ultimately thrown into the Tiber River.

To Stephen’s (however marginal) credit, the trial was in part the brainchild of an irate emperor, Lambert, as well as Guy IV, the Duke of Spoleto. But Stephen was complicit in the spectacle, having been put in office by the powerful House of Spoleto, and seemed to be equal parts hypocrite and dunce, to boot.

See, Formosus was tried for having been a bishop who transferred dioceses in order to become pope – a no-no at the time in canon law – but Stephen himself was a bishop who transferred dioceses in order to become pope! What’s more, part of the trial’s outcomes involved Formosus’ ordinations being declared invalid. One problem: Stephen VI was ordained by Formosus. Impeccable logic.

Flocknote also tells us:^[3]

Stephen VI is the last “Pope Stephen” to have two different Roman numerals after his name, though three more Stephens ascended to the papal throne in the coming centuries. There was a tad bit of confusion after the initial Pope Stephen II died before being consecrated. As a result, he’s omitted from most modern lists, though Popes Stephen II through VI also carry the next chronological numeral, just in case.

Flocknote tells us that at this time in history:^[3]

The sect of Islam known as Zaidi Shia rose to power in Yemen around the year 897. It would be otherwise unremarkable, but this particular sect’s rule endured for nearly 11 centuries in Yemen, lasting until the second half of the 20th Century.

Research Notes

This profile is being updated by the Popes Project.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Pope Stephen VI
2. ↑ Mann, Horace K. (1910). The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Truebner, & Co. Ltd. OCLC 499626370
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} Flocknotes Popes in a Year
   SOURCES (and further reading)
   John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
   Pope Stephen VI (VII) - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14289d.htm
   Pope Stephen VI - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Stephen_VI
   Stephen VI - http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1981842_1981844_1981623,00.html
   897 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/897