POPE FORMOSUS ANS HIS TRIAL 'POST MORTEM'

Leopoldo Costa

Formosus was born in Rome in the early decades of the ninth century and was bishop of Oporto (Portugal) during the pontificate of Nicholas I (858-867).

Very laborious, ahead of some missionaries managed to convert the Bulgarians to Catholicism and claimed to be the bishop of the new converts who was not allowed by Pope Nicholas I, arguing that contradicted provisions of the Council of Nicea. Formosus was dissatisfied and sought to rally supporters to his cause.

In 875, shortly after the coronation of Charles the Bald, king of France, Formosus was summoned to Rome to meet Pope John VIII (872-882) who heard admonitions, for conspiring against the king.

In 876, the council of Saint Mary Rotunda was charged by Pope John VIII he caused the resistance of the Bulgarians not to accept the new bishop appointed by Rome and Formosus then excommunicated. The excommunication was also confirmed in a new council that took place at Troyes in France, some time later.

Formosus was present at this council and apologized to the bishops asking for reconsideration of his excommunication and vowing thereafter to be just a layman.

After the death of Pope John VIII in 882 and the assumption of Pope Marinus I (882-884) to the papacy he resumed, even as a layman, the bishopric of Oporto, where he remained until being elected pope.

During the pontificate of Pope Formosus (891-896) was a real war against the Carolingians who sought to govern Italy.

Formosus in 892 crowned as king Lambert of Spoleto. Then, due to the evil influence of Agiltrude, mother of Lambert, business of the court and the church and its lack of ability to govern has canceled its support and called the Carolingian ruler Arnulf of Carinthia to invade Italy and take his place. On this occasion the invasion failed and redid the 895 call and the invasion was successful, being Arnulf crowned king by Formosus in 896.

Formosus died on April 4 896, according to some, tortured at the behest of Agiltrude, and was succeeded by Boniface VI, who died some weeks later, and his successor was Stephen VI (896-897).

Agiltrude and Lambert arrived in Rome at the same time that was Stephen elected Pope. Stephen seduced Agiltrude to becoming his mistress. Arnolf was dead and occcurred the collapse of the Carolingian domination. With advantage of the situation Lambert forced the Pope to crown him new king and make an unprecedented trial 'post mortem' of Formosus who was considered a supporter of the Carolingians.

Stephen held a synod (which became known as' Synodus Horrenda' (Synodus Grisly') for this posthumous trial, which took place in the basilica of St. John Lateran in January, 897, nine months after the burial of Pope Formosus.

The corpse of Formosus was exhumed, dressed with pontifical vestments and placed on a throne in front of the judging committee chaired by Pope Stephen, assisted by Agiltrude and large audience.
The quarrel between Formosus and Pope John VIII was the indictment of the judging committee.
According to what was recorded by Liutprand of Cremona in the tenth century, Pope Stephen asked him if the corpse wanted med the bishopric of Oporto with a layperson. Of course the answer was not.

Ferdinand Gregorovius, a Prussian historian, describes the gruesome event:
"The lawyer of Pope Stephen, rising, went to mummy and made the accusations. Stephen then asked the deceased, how did you, ambitious man, dared to usurp the throne of St. Peter? A deacon scared, sitting beside the dead pope tried to defend him, sometimes making the defense attorney.
Formosus was charged and convicted, and was declared illegitimate and unworthy pope. All his acts were canceled, including priestly ordinations. The vestments were torn, his three fingers of right hand were cut off and the corpse threw out of the basilica amid wild cries. Then the corpse was threw into the river Tiber. "

A monk rescued the body from water and organized the burial. Some months later in the same year of 897, the Carolingians defeated Lambert and resumed the crown. In revenge arrested Pope Stephen, who was strangled in prison.

In the year 897, in addition to Stephen, there were two popes: Romanus, which was deposed and Theodore II, who ruled a few weeks, but had time to convene another synod to rehabilitate the pope Formosus.

The Pope's body was again exhumed and Formosus solemnly taken to be buried alongside the other popes in the church of St. Peter and all his acts were reinstated.

Who was Agiltrude?

She was daughter of a rich and famous prostitute of Spoleto called Hermenie with a mercenary from Venice.

Hermenie was well connected in the Vatican, being the madam who provided prostitutes for Popes, cardinals and bishops.

Agiltrude grew up in a lecher environment and since young she was offered by the mother for sexual relationships with nobles. She was very pretty.

He married Guido, Count of Spoleto in 884.

Although duchess and with the consent of her husband, came to follow in the footsteps of his mother and came to dominate the curia of the church, with their sexual services or child prostitutes of Spoleto.