897 Cadaver Trial of Pope Formosus. In 897 AD, Pope Steven VI ordered exhumation of predecessor Pope Formosus after 7 months Decomposed body was dressed in vestments and propped on throne in Basilica of St. John Lateran for trial Formosus was charged with usurping papacy and violating canon law
In 897 AD, Pope Stephen VI ordered the exhumation of predecessor Formosus after roughly nine months. The decomposed body was dressed in papal vestments and propped on a throne in the Basilica of St. John Lateran for a mock trial, charged with usurping the papacy and violating canon law. The trial was politically motivated—Formosus had backed Arnulf of Carinthia against rival emperor Lambert of Spoleto, crowning Arnulf as emperor in early 896. His three blessing fingers were then removed before the body was tossed into the Tiber. Pope Stephen VI himself was later strangled in prison.
Key Facts
- In 897 AD, Pope Steven VI ordered exhumation of predecessor Pope Formosus after 7 months
- Decomposed body was dressed in vestments and propped on throne in Basilica of St. John Lateran for trial
- Formosus was charged with usurping papacy and violating canon law
- Trial was politically motivated - Formosus supported Arnold of Corinthia against rival emperor Lambert
- Queen Ageltrude allegedly orchestrated the trial through Pope Steven VI
- Three blessing fingers were removed from corpse before being thrown into Tiber
- Legend of cadaver curse: three subsequent popes who disturbed remains died within one year
- Pope Steven VI was later strangled in prison
Related site: St. John Lateran Basilica, Rome — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.
Source: 5 Ancient Vatican Mysteries They Tried to Bury by Dark5 Ancient Mysteries