More Saloon Lore, Pope Resigns.

Seven popes have resigned since the reign of St. Peter.  Nothing is known about the first three. All occurred before 400 AD.   The first well documented one was Benedict IX in 1045, who stepped down  after selling the papacy to his godfather, Pope Gregory the sixth.  Gregory himself resigned the following years when he faced prosecution for violating canon law that prohibiting the buying and selling of sacraments or holy offices.  The last resignation was Gregory XII, who resigned in 1415 to avoid civil war in the church led other ‘popes’ or claimants to the papacy (antipope Benedict XIII and antipope John XXIII).  Current Pope Benedict, who will retire to a convent on Vatican grounds, will be the eight.

Benedict IX remains one of the church’s great embarrassments.  He had no qualifications for the position, which was purchased for him by his powerful father when Benedict was 19 or 20  (some records say 11-12).  Openly homosexual, he was accused at the time of responsibility for numerous murderers.  He was deposed 3 times by military forces, and new popes were elected.  but  he returned to power through force each time.  His godfather, a pious priest, finally got him to resign for cash.  The godfather, Gregory VI, then assumed the position.  Benedict returned again and for several years he, his godfather, and a third contender held themselves out as the rightful pope.  German military forces finally removed Benedict in favor of Gregory, who stepped down for violation  of canon law and to allow for an election of valid pope.