Holy Sinners: 7 Popes for whom the law is not written

Since the founding of the Christian Church, the Pope is considered the successor of St. Peter and is the undivided head of the Holy See. Of course, the position obliges the pontiff to comply with strict moral requirements and to be a clear example of all Christian virtues for believers. But in fact, not all pontiffs had a meek disposition, and some even treated celibacy (vow of celibacy) formally.

It is believed that the first pope in the history of the church was the Apostle Peter. Since then, 266 popes have been replaced on the papal throne, 80 of whom have been canonized. The first popes who headed the Catholic Church were real martyrs, and most of them were killed or tortured by Romans, barbarians, Saracens and other unconscious atheists.

After the persecution of Christians ended, the number of saints in this position decreased, and out of 80 pontiffs for the period from 701 to 2014, only were canonized 4. The popes of the "new formation" led a peculiar way of life — among them were those who led Crusades in armor and with a sword, fought with their fists with rivals in theological disputes, poisoned opponents with arsenic and ricin, and also indulged in sensuality as best they could.

We chose 7 dads who especially distinguished themselves on the love front and left behind a steady fame of "walkers".

The son of a priest and a nun born in sin, John X, according to numerous testimonies of his contemporaries, did not show the slightest interest in church affairs. All the attention of the pope was focused on the weaker sex, and all the 16 years he spent at the head of the church were full of obscene adventures and the search for finances for the maintenance of favorites.

One of John X's mistresses, Theodora, gave birth to his daughter Marotia, who took her mother's place in the bed of the depraved pope after her death. The reign of this pope is considered one of the most shameful pages in the history of Catholicism.

Another John, who cared more about the attention of the female sex than Christianity. The rude, narrow—minded and voluptuous pope turned his residence, the Lateran Palace, into a real den with blackjack and harlots. Liutprand of Cremonese, a historian and diplomat, in his memoirs cites examples of the pope's unworthy behavior, including cohabitation with maids and his own niece.

It is known that John XII died extremely badly — during his lovemaking, Satan himself hit him with a hoof in the crown. At least that's what the pope's entourage said. Historians are not inclined to mystify the death of an old libertine. Some write that he had a stroke during sex with a certain Stefanetta, and others — that dad could not digest a couple of punches from the deceived husband of one of his passions.

"The demon that escaped from The underworld and who took the form of the pope" — so simply and tastefully described the professional and human qualities of Benedict IX. The "merits" of this successor of the Apostle Peter are so significant that even the "Catholic Encyclopedia" does not undertake to hush them up. In the book, this pontiff is described as a man who completely disrespected the church and specifically the Holy See.

During the solid term of Benedict IX's reign, he managed to empty the papal treasury several times, continuously investing in rather intricate orgies involving women, men and even animals. Three times Benedict IX was driven out of Vatican floor rags, but he managed to regain his position three times. The fourth time finally turned out to be successful, and the pontiff-entertainer died of boredom in one of the remote monasteries.

This "vicar of God" combined all possible vices, including adultery, greed and gluttony. It was also no secret that the old man preferred young pages rather than young maids. The life path of Paul II was interrupted early, even by medieval standards, at the age of 54. According to the official version, the pope died after eating too much melon, but it was well known to all those close to him that the libertine had a stroke during entertainment in the company of a young servant.

Rodrigo Borgia, who occupied the Holy See under the nickname Alexander VI, never even tried to hide his love affairs and children born from planned and casual relationships. It is reliably known about four descendants who were born to the pope by his mistress Vannozza Catanei (Vannozza Catanei). Also, the pope is credited with five more offspring, about whose mothers nothing is known.

Loving Rodrigo called his illegitimate children nephews and did not hesitate to appoint them to the most responsible and "bread" positions. His son Cesare became a cardinal and, like his father, ignored celibacy, openly marrying a French noblewoman with a good dowry.

Julius II spat on the vow of celibacy even before taking office. It is known for sure that the pope had a daughter Felice della Rovere, whom he successfully married to a rich nobleman. Despite the presence of at least one offspring, this pontiff has a reputation as an avid sodomite, ready to pay for male love from the Vatican treasury.

Contemporaries recalled that the body of Julius II was covered with "shameful ulcers." Most likely it was about syphilis, which was awarded to the pope by one of his lovers. Dad died, as befits a bad person — "from the heat." This formulation in those days could mean anything from pneumonia to poisoning by envious people.

The papacy of this pontiff was quite restless. Scandals and intrigues constantly arose around Yulia, which were based on his love for men. The pontiff did not particularly hide his orientation — one day he picked up a poor 15-year-old teenager Innocenzo del Monte in the slums of Parma, gave him a title and lands, and also made him a cardinal.

The poet Girolamo Mudzio wrote in one of his letters to the ruler of Milan that the pope was "proud, vicious and completely abnormal." The notoriety of a sodomite and a pedophile pursued Julius III until his death. His favorite Innocenzo, left without a patron, got involved in unpleasant stories with murders and rapes and was exposed by the inhabitants of Rome outside the gates with the deprivation of all titles and material goods.