Random Bizarre Theories About Pope Joan, Female Pope Who May Have Not Existed (11 items)

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  (#7) The Existence Of Pope Joan Was Accepted For Centuries

  Pope Joan is definitely discussed in Martin of Opava's Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum in the 13th century, and her existence seemed widely accepted. In 1479, a Vatican scholar named Bartolomeo Platina wrote in his Lives of the Popes:

  "Pope John VIII: John, of English extraction, was born at Mentz (Mainz) and is said to have arrived at popedom by evil art; for disguising herself like a man, whereas she was a woman, she went when young with her paramour, a learned man, to Athens, and made such progress in learning under the professors there that, coming to Rome, she met with few that could equal, much less go beyond her, even in the knowledge of the scriptures; and by her learned and ingenious readings and disputations, she acquired so great respect and authority that upon the death of Pope Leo IV (as Martin says) by common consent she was chosen pope in his room. As she was going to the Lateran Church between the Colossean Theatre (so called from Nero's Colossus) and St. Clement's her travail came upon her, and she died upon the place, having sat two years, one month, and four days, and was buried there without any pomp. This story is vulgarly told, but by very uncertain and obscure authors, and therefore I have related it barely and in short, lest I should seem obstinate and pertinacious if I had admitted what is so generally talked. I had better mistake with the rest of the world, though it be certain, that what I have related may be thought not altogether incredible."  

  Platina's work was officially sanctioned by Pope Sixtus IV.
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  (#8) Pope Joan Has Been Dramatized In Modern Fiction And Film

  The legend of Pope Joan has fascinated writers and dramatists in contemporary times. The most prominent recent novel concerning the subject was written in 1997 by Donna Woolfolk Cross, entitled Pope Joan. This novel would eventually be adapted into the 2009 film Pope Joan, a European production starring Johanna Wokalek and John Goodman.

  A 1972 film, also entitled Pope Joan and starring Liv Ullmann, Olivia de Havilland, and Franco Nero, retold the story of the female pope as well.
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  (#9) Her Statue Was Altered In The Cathedral At Siena

  In the late 14th century, numerous busts of former popes were made for Il Duomo (The Cathedral) in Siena, Italy. One of these included an obviously female pope with the inscription "Johanna VIII, Foemina de Anglia." This statue was included between Leo IV and Benedict III, placing her squarely within the rumored time period of her reign.

  The statue would remain in place until the 17th century, when it was ordered removed by Pope Clement VIII. But instead of following orders, church officials in Siena scraped and reshaped the sculpture and transformed it into Pope Zacharias from the 8th century.
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  (#1) Pope Joan Likely Pretended To Be A Man To Obtain An Education

  Several ancient historians have written about Pope Joan, her origins, and her biography. None of these accounts are in complete agreement, but there are some commonalities in their description of a woman who eventually became a pope.

  Most notably, historians note that women weren't typically allowed to study or even leave their homes in the early to mid-9th century. But, during this time a young woman named Johanna is said to have masqueraded as male and gained entry to a monastery in Mainz, Germany. Here, she would learn Greek and Latin and other aspects of a classical education. Allegedly, she then fell in love with a fellow monk, and followed him to Athens and ultimately Rome.
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  (#10) Scholars Have Written Of Pope Joan's Existence As Late As The 20th Century

  As late as 1999, an author named Peter Stanford wrote about Pope Joan and attempted to prove her existence as a fact. His book, The Legend of Pope Joan: In Search of the Truth, argues that Joan existed, but her reign was eliminated because of sensitivity concerning the church's unwillingness to accept female members of the Catholic clergy.

  In 2001, Alain Boreau argues Joan's mythological status in his book The Myth of Pope Joan. He maintains that she was a legend perpetuated by Protestants during the Reformation, and that there is no substantive evidence of any kind to establish her existence.
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  (#6) A Depiction Of Pope Joan Appears In A Book By Boccaccio

  In 1362, the Florentine Renaissance writer Boccaccio composed a manuscript entitled De Mulieribus Claris, (Famous Women), a collection of biographies concerning both mythological and actual accounts of the lives of prominent females. There were 106 short profiles overall. Number 101 on the list was "Joan, an Englishwoman and Pope."

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