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Brimstone-n-Treacle t1_jcta0vz wrote

But they made up for it in the 14th century, when they had two Popes at the same time - so it all evened out.

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RegalBeagleKegels t1_jctcbl0 wrote

Three, even.

Having a Catholic cage match with two popes isn't that uncommon historically - they call it thunderdome the antipope.

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spencer4991 t1_jcui9he wrote

I love the fact that the article talks about the fact that for some instances, it’s hard to identify which one was actually the antipope

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BrokenEye3 t1_jcuuvpk wrote

Yeah except now the numbering for Popes John is totally messed up. John XXIII is only the 21st legitimate Pope John, and John XX was skipped outright

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Hillz44 t1_jct8ikk wrote

Ten years total. I get it but I don’t care

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blueskyler99 t1_jctanq9 wrote

Well, someone didn't get the Papal memo.

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Hillz44 t1_jctaxim wrote

I can’t check my inbox, it’s full of confessions!

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flodnak t1_jctyi1b wrote

Ah, but that's not the best bit. The best bit is what the local authorities were willing to do to bring an end to the papal election.

See, in 1270ish, the Pope wasn't just the head of the Western Church, but also the earthly ruler of a chunk of central Italy. So it was a problem that there was no one in charge. Local authorities in the town where the election was being held became increasingly impatient. First they locked the cardinals in the palace where the meetings were being held. Then they put them on bread and water rations. Finally they removed the roof of the palace. Finally the cardinals agreed to a compromise candidate and they were allowed to go home.

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[deleted] t1_jcwwt1s wrote

This is how we should do congress here in the US

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_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ t1_jctp2yp wrote

This is to be expected. The position is elected and for life. It will naturally accumulate time when there is no current holder.

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snow_michael t1_jcw28sl wrote

It is not for life

Given you have to be 13+ to hold a reddit account, in your lifetime one Catholic Pope has retired, and another might do so soon

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_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ t1_jcw7deg wrote

It is for life.

One has retired in the last 600 years, but he was still appointed for life.

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snow_michael t1_jd00wfc wrote

Doesn’t mention that anywhere in the Papal Oath

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_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ t1_jd01iqy wrote

So? There’s no term limit and they can’t get voted out.

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snow_michael t1_jd0psq1 wrote

  1. Popes in the past have been removed from office

  2. Technically the position the College of Cardinals vote someone to hold is Bishop of Rome

  3. If you can't understand the conflict between 'appointed for life' and 'is able to retire' I don't know what to say to you

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_PM_ME_PANGOLINS_ t1_jd23igg wrote

You clearly don’t know what “appointed for life” means.

Life appointees can still retire or be deposed. It's not a prison sentence.

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KitakatZ101 t1_jcv3eaz wrote

Damn that’s actually impressive

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RamseyATX t1_jcti6k0 wrote

Jesus is always on the Throne

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wwarnout t1_jcthx0v wrote

Throne. This is one of the main reasons religion is illegitimate. Can you imagine Jesus wanting to be on a throne?

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JCSterlace t1_jctnau8 wrote

Chair. Use the word Chair instead of Throne.

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Accomplished_Job_225 t1_jctw7wd wrote

Can Cherub Chair be allowed?

Edit : wait no. Never mind. A Chair made of angels isn't remotely practical.

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frankybling t1_jcv5ort wrote

depends on which description of “angels” you use… that crazy Old Testament one with all the eyeballs might be pretty Sweet furniture for a king

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Lahk74 t1_jctrucn wrote

TIL 2 years 10 months is longer than a decade. Shitty title.

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ExpensiveRecover t1_jctvm9l wrote

Dude, reading comprehension. That's the longest continuos time, but if you add every period between the death of one Pope and the election and appointment of the next, it'll be over a decade, as the title says

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KingTobia_II t1_jcu1e1b wrote

It’s a shitty title if multiple people are coming to the comments looking for an explanation, myself included.

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fredsam25 t1_jcteuvv wrote

But who covered up the priest child abuse for those years!?!? It must have been nerve-racking to be a priest during that time, not knowing who was going to excuse your pedophilia.

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QristopherQuixote t1_jct97m7 wrote

In the Western world, all denominations of christianity are declining. However, Catholicism is declining faster than most protestant denominations and certainly the large ones. Catholic Churches in the US are closing much faster than any that are opening with the total net closure rate in the double digits.

Medieval Catholicism is out of step with the modern world. While it is unclear when it will happen, the pope will become irrelevant everywhere except maybe the developing world later this century.

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antiauthoritarian123 t1_jctvj1e wrote

I'm not arguing or denying... But do you have a source for this

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QristopherQuixote t1_jctzuw0 wrote

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2022/09/13/modeling-the-future-of-religion-in-america/

https://news.gallup.com/poll/341963/church-membership-falls-below-majority-first-time.asp

^^^ Check decline of Catholicism compared to Protestants - 2x

https://research.lifeway.com/2021/05/25/protestant-church-closures-outpace-openings-in-u-s/

https://www.catholic.org/news/hf/faith/story.php?id=85303

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decline_of_Christianity_in_the_Western_world

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Feisty_Jury_5325 t1_jctz2kt wrote

Not sure why this was downvoted. I’m a devout Catholic and I would say everything you mention here is right on the money.

There are small factions of revivals that are proponents of the Latin mass but most people today are turned off by the 70/80s brutalist, carpeted versions of the Mass.

We watered it down for everyone and wonder why we now appeal to no one.

I have friends who are priests and seminarians and the diocesan mergers are picking up speed. Priests are overworked and leaving their posts.

If the Catholic Church was a Business it would be Dunder Mifflin.

God bless everyone.

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penregalia t1_jcuvc69 wrote

I've got a buddy obsessed with Latin Mass. Routinely rails against the evils of Vatican II. I think it's more easily explained that anyone not repulsed by the demonstrable evils of the clergy against children wants things going backwards and more conservative. It's just funny cherry-picking Catholic dogma/rules to serve your worldview.

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Feisty_Jury_5325 t1_jcv29d8 wrote

Ignoring the structure and dealings of bishops with pedophile Priests in history certainly doesn’t make you seem more credible.

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Chessracer t1_jcuiznk wrote

Today I learned questioning mainstream religious doctrine gets you brigaded on this sub.

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JeffFromSchool t1_jcv0d75 wrote

Decline is one thing, but US protestants, specifically evangelicals, are definitely the most out of touch Christians. I'd love to see them take the same stance as the pope on homosexuality.

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adamcoe t1_jcv468v wrote

Good. It's long, long overdue. Let's make the pope irrelevant everywhere.

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all_the_gravy t1_jctfgbh wrote

Sometime around that time 1200ish there was a woman disguised as a man who was elected pope. She was of course scrubbed from public history, and she wasn't pope for very long. I read a book "Pope Joan" about it. I don't recommend that book but it's a good place to start if you're interested.

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Bart-MS t1_jcthj89 wrote

No, there wasn't. It's a legend and it's very doubtful that anything of this story actually happened.

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OlyScott t1_jcwskp4 wrote

That's an old story that never happened. Acual historians who've looked into it say that it's just not true.

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