The Cadaver Synod: A Dead Pope Trial

Picture this: a rotting corpse dressed in full papal robes sitting on trial in front of the

entire Vatican. In 897 AD, Pope Stephen VI literally put his dead predecessor

on trial. He dug up Pope Formosus's decaying body, dressed it up, propped it on a

throne, and even assigned a deacon to speak for the corpse. The Cadaver Synod

was pure horror. The silent, rotting Pope was accused of crimes, found guilty,

had his blessing fingers chopped off, and got tossed into the Tiber River.

This wasn't some medieval legend. It actually happened. The Catholic Church really put a dead

body on trial, convicted it, mutilated it, and dumped it in a river.