THE DARK HISTORY
OF
ROMAN POPES
“Little children, it is the last hour,
and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming,
so now many antichrists have come.
Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
They went out from us (the Christian Church),
But they were not of us.”
(1 John 2:18-19)
First, A Short Bible Study …
“Do not call anyone (any religious leader or man)
here on Earth your ‘father’;
For only ONE is your Father,
HE (God) who is in Heaven.”
(Matthew 23:9)
Now, The Dark History of Roman Popes:
An investment banker once told the President of a company seeking funds, “Show me your history … and I will tell you your future.”
Following are the biographies of a number of Roman Popes (which in disregard to the Biblical command above means “father” in Latin) throughout history. This information was drawn from a simple search of Roman Catholic websites, Wikipedia, Google, and historical books on the subject.
Please remember while studying these histories, that ALL Popes, including those we will find below, claim to hold a God-like supreme power over the eternal destinies (Heaven or Hell) of every man, woman, and child on Earth … (the ultimate “Godfather” from a worldly perspective).
THE POPES of ROME:
Pope Stephen VI (896–897) Fueled by anger with his predecessor, Pope Formosus, he exhumed Formosus’s rotting corpse and put “him” on trial, in the so-called “Cadaver Synod” in January, 897.
With the old pope’s corpse propped up on a throne, a deacon was appointed to answer for the deceased pontiff, who was condemned for performing the functions of a bishop when he had been deposed.
The corpse was found “guilty,” stripped of its sacred vestments, three fingers of its right hand were then cut off (the blessing fingers), he was clad in the garb of a layman, quickly buried, and then exhumed again to be thrown into the Tiber river.
Sergius III (904-11), known by his cardinals as “the slave of every vice,” came to power after murdering his predecessor. He had a son with his teenage mistress — the prostitute Marozia, 30 years his junior — and their illegitimate son grew up to become the next pope. With top Vatican jobs auctioned off like baubles, the papacy entered its “dark century.”
He is famous for having a mistress, Marozia. She, her mother Theodora, and her sister, “filled the Papal chair with their paramours and bastard sons, and turned the Papal Palace into a den of robbers!”
In history books the Papal years 904-963 are often called, “The Rule of the Harlots!”
Pope John X (914-928), “was brought to Rome, and made Pope by Theodora for the more convenient gratification of her passion.” He was smothered to death by Marozia, who, then, in succession, raised to the Papacy, Popes Leo VI (928-929), and Stephen VII (929-931), and John XI (931-936) — her own illegitimate son!
Another of Marozia’s sons appointed the four following Popes: Leo VII (936-939), Stephen VIII (939-942), Martin III (942-946), and Agapetus II (946-955).
John XII (955-964) Pope John XII, a grandson of Marozia, was “guilty of almost every crime! He violated virgins and widows; lived with his father’s mistress; made the Papal Palace a brothel; and was killed while caught in the act of adultery by the woman’s enraged husband!”
The 16-year-old John XII was accused of sleeping with his two sisters and inventing a catalog of disgusting new sins. Described by a church historian as “the very dregs.”
As noted above, he was killed at age 27 when the husband of one of the married women he seduced burst into his bedroom, found the Pope having sex with his wife, and then battered Pope John XII’s skull in with a hammer.
Pope Boniface VII (984-985), murdered Pope John XIV, and “maintained himself on the blood-stained Papal Throne by a lavish distribution of stolen money.” The Bishop of Orleans, referring to Popes John XII, Leo VIII and Boniface VII, called them “monsters of guilt, reeking in blood and filth; Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God!”
Pope Benedict VIII (1012-1024), bought the office of Pope with open bribery. This was called SIMONY, that is, the purchase or sale of Church Office with money.
Pope John XIX (1024-1033), Bought the Papacy. He passed through all the necessary clerical degrees in one day.
Pope Benedict IX, (1033-41) Benedict IX continually shocked even his most hardened cardinals by debauching young boys in the Lateran Palace. Repenting of his sins, he actually abdicated to a monastery, only to change his mind and seize office again. He was “a wretch who feasted on immorality,” wrote Saint Peter Damian, “a demon from hell in the disguise of a priest.”
He was made Pope as a boy of 12 years old, through a money bargain with the powerful families that ruled Rome. “He surpassed Pope John XII in wickedness; and committed murders and adulteries in broad daylight! A hideous criminal — the people drove him out of Rome!” Some call him the worst of all the Popes!
Pope Gregory VI (1045-1046), Bought the Papacy. There were three rival Popes at this time: Benedict IX, Gregory VI, Sylvester III. “Rome swarmed with hired assassins!”
Pope Clement II (1046-1047), was appointed Pope by Emperor Henry III of Germany “because no Roman clergyman could be found who was free of the pollution of Simony and Fornication!”
Pope Innocent III (1198-1216). He was the “most powerful of all the Popes.” He claimed to be “Vicar of Christ,” “Vicar of God,” and “Supreme Sovereign over the Church and the World.”
He claimed the right to depose Kings and Princes; and that “All things on Earth and in Heaven and in Hell — are subject to Popes, “the Vicar(s) of Christ.”
He brought the Church into supreme control of the State. The Kings of Germany, France, England, and practically all the Monarchs of Europe, obeyed his will. He even brought the Byzantine Empire under his control. Never in history has any one man exerted more power! He . . .
- Ordered two Crusades
- Decreed Transubstantiation
- Confirmed Confession to priests
- Declared Papal “Infallibility”
- Forbade the reading of the Bible in the vernacular
- Ordered the Extermination of heretics (Christian “Protestants”)
- Instituted the Inquisition
- Ordered the Massacre of the Albigenses (200,000 – 1,000,000 slaughtered by Popes)
More blood was shed under his direction, and that of his immediate successors, than in any other period of Church history, except in the Papacy’s effort to crush the Reformation in the 16th and 17th centuries. One Would think Nero, the Beast — had come to life in Name of the Lamb!
Papal power was maintained by the Inquisition.
The Inquisition, called the “Holy Office” by the Roman Church was instituted by Pope Innocent III, and perfected under the following Pope Gregory IX (and it is still alive in the Vatican).
In the period immediately following Pope Innocent III, the Inquisition did its most deadly work against the Albigenses — but also claimed vast multitudes of victims in Spain, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands.
Pope Gregory IX 1227-1241 It was the “Church Court for Detection and Punishment of Heretics.” Under it, everyone was required to inform against Heretics. Anyone suspected, was liable to torture, without knowing the name of his accuser. The proceedings were secret. The Inquisitor pronounced sentence, and the victim was turned over to Civil Authorities to be imprisoned for life — or to be burned! The victim’s property was confiscated, and divided between the Roman Church and the State.
Later on, the Inquisition was the main agency in the Roman Papacy’s effort to crush the Reformation.
It is stated that in the 30 years between 1540 and 1570 — no fewer than 900,000 Bible-believing “Protestants” were put to death in the Pope’s attempt for the extermination of the Waldenses (a group that did not believe the Roman pope was God on Earth).
Think of Roman Catholic Monks and Priests, in their holy garments — directing, with heartless cruelty and inhuman brutality — the work of torturing and burning alive innocent men, women, and children, and doing it in the Name of Christ — by the direct order of the “Vicar of Christ!”
The Inquisition was the most notorious and devilish thing in human history!
It was devised by Popes, and used by them for 500 years, to maintain their power.
Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) After massacring the entire population in the Italian town of Palestrina, Boniface VIII indulged in ménages with a married woman and her daughter and became renowned through Rome as a shameless pedophile. He famously declared that “having sex with young boys was no more a sin than rubbing one hand against the other” —
In his famous papal bull, “Unam Sanctam,” this pope said, “We declare, affirm, define, and pronounce that it is altogether necessary for Salvation — that every creature be subject to the Roman Pontiff!”
However, he himself was so corrupt that Dante, who visited him during his pontificate, called the Vatican, “A sewer of corruption!” and assigned him, along with Popes Nicolas III and Clement V — to lie in the lowest parts of Hell!
The poet Dante reserved a place for him in the eighth circle of Hell.
Note: (1305-1377), These are the 72 years in which Papal Palace was at Avignon, France. Petrarch accused the papal household of rape, adultery, and all manner of fornication. In many parishes, men insisted on priests keeping concubines, as a protection for their own families!
Pope Bon vivant Clement VI (1342-52) All pretense at decorum was abandoned when the papacy moved to Avignon in southern France for 75 years. Bon vivant Clement VI was called “an ecclesiastical Dionysus” by the poet Petrarch for the number of mistresses and the severity of his gonorrhea. Upon his death, 50 priests offered Mass for the repose of his soul for nine consecutive days.
Dual Popes (1377-1417) During these 40 years, there were two sets of Popes — one at Rome, and one at Avignon (France), each claiming to be “Vicar of Christ,” hurling anathemas and curses at each other!
Pope John XXIII (1410-1415), was called by some, “the most depraved criminal who ever sat on the Papal Throne!” He was guilty of almost every crime!
As a Cardinal in Bologna, 200 maidens, nuns and married women fell victims to his “amours”!
Then, as Pope, he . . .
- Violated virgins and nuns;
- Lived in adultery with his brother’s wife;
- Was guilty of sodomy and other nameless vices;
- Bought the Papal Office;
- Sold Cardinal offices to children of wealthy families;
- Openly denied Heaven (“the future life”).
Pope Pius II (1458-1464), was said to have been the father of many illegitimate children, spoke openly of the methods he used to seduce women, encouraged young men to, and even offered to instruct them in methods of immorality!
Pope Sixtus IV (1471-84) Decamping back to Rome, the papacy hit its true low point in the Renaissance. Sixtus IV (who funded the Sistine Chapel) had six illegitimate sons — one with his sister.
He collected a Church tax on prostitutes and charged priests for keeping mistresses, but critics argued that this merely increased the prevalence of clerical homosexuality.
He sanctioned the Spanish Inquisition and he Decreed that money would deliver souls from Purgatory.
Pope Sixtus was implicated in a plot to murder Lorenzo de Medici, and others who opposed his policies. Used the Papacy to enrich himself and his relatives. Made eight of his nephews Cardinals, while as yet some of them were mere boys. In luxurious and lavish entertainment — he rivaled the Caesars. In wealth and pomp — he and his relatives surpassed the old Roman Families.
Pope Innocent VIII (1484-92) The rule of Innocent VIII is remembered as the Golden Age of Bastards: He acknowledged eight illegitimate sons and was known to have many more, although he found time between love affairs to start up the Inquisition. On his death bed, he ordered a comely wet nurse to supply him with milk fresh from the breast.
He has 16 children by various married women. Multiplied Church Offices, and sold them for vast sums of money. Decreed the extermination of the Waldenses, and sent an army against them. Appointed the brutal Thomas of Torquemada as the Inquisitor General of Spain, and ordered all rulers to deliver up heretics to him. Permitted bull-fights on St. Peter’s Square
Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) The vicious Rodrigo Borgia, who took the name Alexander VI, presided over more orgies than masses, wrote Edward Gibbon. A career highlight was the 1501 “Joust of the Whores,” when 50 dancers were invited to slowly strip around the pope’s table. Alexander and his family gleefully threw chestnuts on the floor, forcing the women to grovel around their feet like swine; they then offered prizes of fine clothes and jewelry for the man who could fornicate with the most women. Alexander’s other hobbies included watching horses copulate, which would make him “laugh fit to bust.” After his death — quite possibly poisoned by his pathological son, Cesar Borgia — this pope’s body was expelled from the basilica of Saint Peter as too evil to be buried in sacred soil.
He was called the most corrupt of the Renaissance Popes. He was licentious, avaricious, and depraved! He bought the Papacy; made many new cardinals, for money; had a number of illegitimate children, whom he openly acknowledged and appointed to high church office while they were yet children — who, with himself, murdered cardinals and others who stood in their way. Had for a mistress, a sister of a Cardinal.
Pope Julius II (1503-13) is remembered for commissioning Michelangelo to paint the Sistene Chapel’s ceiling. He was also the first pope to contract syphilis from Rome’s male prostitutes.
On Good Friday of 1508, he was unable to allow his foot to be kissed by the faithful as it was completely covered with syphilitic sores.
He was the richest of the Cardinals, with vast income from numerous bishoprics and church estates — bought the Papacy. As a Cardinal he had made sport of celibacy. Involved in endless quarrels over the possession of cities and principalities, he maintained and personally led vast armies. Called the Warrior Pope. Issued indulgences for money. Luther visited Rome — and was appalled at what he saw!
Later on, the Inquisition was the main agency in the Papacy’s effort to crush the Reformation.
Pope Paul III 1534-1549 had many illegitimate children.
He was a determined enemy of the “Protestants” and offered Charles V an army to exterminate them!
Pope Julius III (1550-55) Julius III fell in love with a handsome young beggar boy he spotted brawling with a vendor’s monkey in the streets. The pope went on to appoint this illiterate 17-year-old urchin a cardinal, inspiring an epic poem, “In Praise of Sodomy”.
Pope Gregory XIII (1572-85), celebrated, in solemn mass, with thanksgiving and joy — and minted a coin to commemorate the news of St. Bartholomew’s Massacre! (Where an estimated 3,000 French Protestants were killed in Paris, and as many as 70,000 in all of France. The massacre of Saint Bartholomew’s Day marked the resumption of religious civil war in France … www.History.com).
Pope Leo X (who reigned at the time of Martin Luther) Pope Leo X (1513-1521), was made an Archbishop at the age of 8; and a Cardinal at 13. Was appointed to 27 different church offices, which meant vast income, before he was 13. Was taught to regard ecclesiastical office purely as a source of revenue. Bargained for the Papal chair. Sold church honors. All ecclesiastical offices were for sale, and many new ones were created. He appointed Cardinals as young as the age of 7. He maintained the most luxurious and licentious court in Europe! His Cardinals vied with kings and princes in gorgeous Palaces and voluptuous entertainment, attended by trains of servants. Yet this voluptuary re-affirmed the Unam Sanctam, in which it is declared that “every human being must be subject to the Roman Pontiff for salvation.” He issued indulgences and declared that the burning of heretics was a divine appointment.
From, “Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance . Medici . Private Lives” …
(www.pbs.org › empires › medici › medici › private)
“Pope Leo X had more exotic tastes. Famed for his extravagant lifestyle, he was entertained by young boys leaping naked from cakes. When the new Pope …”
MORE on: “Pope Leo X enjoyed having naked boys leap out of cake” …
From (www.reddit.com › todayilearned › comments › til_pop…)
“Pope Leo X enjoyed having naked boys leap out of cake, and even painted a boy gold to celebrate his election as Pope … the little boy died the next day.”
Pope Paul III (1534-1549). Had many illegitimate children. He was a determined enemy of the Protestants; and offered Charles V an army to exterminate them!
Enter the Jesuits! They were an order founded by Ignatius Loyola, a Spaniard, on the principle of absolute and unconditional obedience to the Pope — having for its object, the recovery of territory lost to Protestants and Mohammedans, and the conquest of the entire heathen world for the Roman Catholic Church. Their supreme aim was the destruction of heresy — that is, thinking anything different from what the Pope said.
For the accomplishment of which — anything was “justifiable” — deception, immorality, vice, imprisonment, torture, execution by beheading and roasting their victims alive!
Their motto while committing horrific acts (and still is): “For the greater glory of God.”
They set up schools, seeking especially the children of ruling classes, aiming in all schools to gain absolute mastery over the pupil. They used the Confessional, especially with Kings, Princes and Civil Rulers — indulging them in all kinds of vice and crime, for the sake of gaining their favor!
The Jesuits used force, persuading rulers to execute Inquisition sentences.
In France, they were responsible for …
- Bartholomew’s Massacre (3000 in Paris … 70,000 around the country in one day!)
- Persecution of the Huguenots (French Christian “Protestants”)
- Revocation of the Toleration Edict
- The French Revolution
It is stated that in the 30 years between 1540 and 1570 — no fewer than 900,000 Protestants were put to death in the Pope’s attempt for the extermination of the Waldenses …
- Pope Julius III 1550-1555
- Pope Marcellus II 1555
- Pope Paul IV 1555-1559
- Pope Pius IV 1559-1565
- Pope Pius V 1566-1572
Think of Monks and Priests, in their “holy” garments — directing, with heartless cruelty and inhuman brutality — the work of torturing and burning alive innocent men and women, and doing it in the Name of Christ — by the direct order of the “Vicar of Christ!”
The Inquisition was the most notorious and devilish thing in human history! It was devised by Popes, and used by them for 500 years, to maintain their power. For its evil record — none of the subsequent line of “Holy” and “Infallible” Popes have ever apologized!
In Spain, Netherlands, South Germany, Bohemia, Austria, Poland and other countries — they led in the massacre of untold multitudes!
By these methods, they stopped the Reformation in Southern Europe, and virtually saved the Roman Papacy from ruin.
Pope Gregory XIII (1572-85), celebrated, in solemn mass, with thanksgiving and joy — and minted a coin to commemorate the news of St. Bartholomew’s Massacre! (Where an estimated 3,000 French Protestants were killed in Paris, and as many as 70,000 in all of France. The massacre of Saint Bartholomew’s Day marked the resumption of religious civil war in France … www.History.com).
Popes Clement VIII (1592-1605), Leo XI (1605), Paul V (1605-1621), Gregory XV (1621-1623), and Urban VIII (1623-1644), with aid of Jesuits — blotted out (slaughtered) ALL PROTESTANTS in Bohemia (around modern Czechoslovakia).
Pope Clement XI (1700-1721), declared that Kings reign only with his sanction; and issued a Bull against Bible Reading.
Pope Pius VII (1800-1820), issued a Bull against Bible Societies, restored the Jesuits, and decreed one “infallible” Pope.
Pope Leo XII ( 1821-1829), condemned all religious freedom, tolerance, Bible societies and Bible translations! He declared that “Everyone separated from the Roman Catholic Church, however unblamable in other respects — has no part in eternal life.”
Pope Pius VIII (1829-1830), Denounced liberty of conscience and Bible Societies.
Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846), was an ardent advocate of Papal Infallibility, and condemned Bible Societies.
Pope Pius IX (1846), decreed Papal Infallibility; proclaimed the right to suppress heresy by force; condemned separation of Church and State; and commanded Catholics to obey the Pope, rather than Civil Rulers! He denounced liberty of conscience, liberty of worship, freedom of speech and freedom of the press! He decreed the Immaculate Conception and Deity of Mary! He condemned Bible Societies; declared that Protestantism is “No form of the Christian Religion”; and that “Every dogma of the Roman Catholic Church has been dictated by Christ, through His Viceregents the Popes.”
Pope Pius IX (1846-1878), proclaimed the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception of Mary. Its reception emboldened him to call the Vatican Council (1870), for the express purpose of having himself declared Infallible, which, under his skillful manipulation, they did. The decree reads that it is “divinely revealed” that the Pope, when he speaks “ex cathedra,” is “possessed of Infallibility in defining doctrines of faith and morals,” and that “such definitions are irrevocable.”
He is whom Abraham Lincoln warned was responsible for the U.S. Civil War as the pope encouraged and helped convince the Democrats in the South to form their own country.
Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903), claimed that he was appointed to be “Head of All Rulers,” and that he holds the place of Almighty God on this Earth!
He emphasized Papal Infallibility.
He pronounced Protestants as “enemies of the Christian Name,” claimed complete submission to the Roman Pontiff … and denounced “Americanism” (freedoms and democracy which can hold no place in a Roman Pope controlled nation).
Pope Pius X (1903-1914), denounced leaders of the Reformation (“Protestants”) as “enemies of the Cross of Christ.”
Pope Pius Xl (1922-1939), in 1928, he re-affirmed the Roman Catholic church to be the Only Church of Christ; and the re-union of Christendom impossible except by submission to Rome (he also led Adolf Hitler and Mussolini into power … “Reich” means “Holy Roman Empire”) Roman Church and NAZI Germany: An Unholy Alliance
WHAT ALL POPES CLAIM:
Yet, ALL “Holy Fathers” (Popes), including those listed above, all claim (and attempt to force all to believe):
- They are the “Vicars of Christ” ( “In Place of Christ” … ἀντί Χριστός in Greek … “Antichrist” in English Bibles)
- They are “Infallible”
- They “Hold the place of Almighty God on this Earth”
- Obedience to them (and not faith in Jesus Christ) “is required” to enter into Heaven
POPES POSITIONS ON THE BIBLE:
- Pope Hildebrand ordered Bohemians not to read the Bible.
- Pope Innocent III forbade the people reading the Bible to their own language.
- Pope Gregory IX forbade laymen possessing the Bible, and suppressed translations.
- Bibles among the Albigenses and Waldenses were burned … AND … the people burned alive just for having them.
- Pope Paul IV prohibited the possession of translations without permission of the Inquisition.
- The Jesuits induced Pope Clement XI to condemn the reading of the Bible by the laity.
- Popes Leo XII, Pius VIII, Gregory XVl and Pius IX all condemned Bible Societies.
- Until recently, in Catholic countries, the Bible is/was an unknown book.
BUT, WHY?!?!
Because when you read and study the Bible (the Word of God) you soon find the Roman Church (Popes) have added a number of new unbiblical doctrines (and burdens upon people) … while at the same time they have taken away fundamental Biblical doctrines, such as we are saved into Heaven simply through our love and faith in Jesus Christ, by believing in His completed work on the Cross (where He paid for all of our sins “once and for all”) and in His Resurrection and ascension into Heaven where He now sits on His Throne “at the right hand of God” as the only Mediator between Man and God.
FROM WIKIPEDIA:
“Antichrist is translated from the combination of two ancient Greek words ἀντί + Χριστός (anti + Christos).
“Ἀντί” means not only anti in the sense of “against” and “opposite of”, but also “in place of.”
“Χριστός” means “anointed one” (Messiah) and the word Christ derives from it.
Note: This exact same word/name (in the original Greek) would be directly translated into Latin as the “Vicar of Christ”.
RESOURCES:
“Who Were The Worst Popes in History? – Vatican Tours” (A Catholic Site)
https://www.vaticancitytours.it/blog/who-were-the-worst-popes-in-history/
“The Bad Popes” (Wikipedia)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bad_Popes
“7 Worst Popes In The History of the Catholic Church”
(The Catholic Talk Show … a Catholic Web-Site)
“10 Worst Popes In History”
https://www.nairaland.com/1430645/10-worst-popes-history
“A Woman Rides The Beast” (An Amazing and Detailed History of the Roman Church)
by Dave Hunt
“Wicked Popes!” (A Book)
by Henry Halley (1895—1965)
“Little children, it is the last hour,
and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming,
so now many antichrists have come.
Therefore we know that it is the last hour.
They went out from us (the early Christian Church),
But they were not of us.”
(1 John 2:18-19)
ADDITIONAL STUDIES:
Prophetic Rise of Rome & The Roman Church
Roman Church and NAZI (Socialist) Germany: An Unholy Alliance
Prophecy: The Woman Who Rides The Beast
From the BIBLE: Who Will Enter Into The Kingdom of Heaven?