Has a Pope ever been a woman?

Question

St Mike: anything's possible in Lincolnshire.

Answer 1

YES! Her name was Pope Joan, go ahead and look her up. The Church has tried to bury her in history, to discredit her, but, she DID exist.

Answer 2

There is a bust of a Pope Joan who reigned in th emid-9th century. Whether there really was a Pope Joan is disputed, though. As recently as the 19th century, encyclopaedias contained information about a female Pope who had been universally accepted as a historical person even within catholic circles.

The most widely accepted description includes this information: She was elected in 855 CE. She was english and dressed as a man. She had an English Benedictine monk for a lover. She went to Athens to be educated before going to Rome. She kept her sex obscured, rising to the rank of Cardinal before serving as Pope for 27 months. She became pregnant and gave birth during office before a crowd of people in a most public street and died. From that time on, Papal processions have tended to avoid that street. A statue of her was reportedly erected, but may have been destroyed by Pope Pius V in the 16th century. A groping chair was devised so that a devout deacon could investigate the gender of any newly elected Pope. This chair, similar to a Byzantine birthing chair, is hidden in the Vatican museum. The exact purpose of this chair is shrowded in mystery.

The official vatican line is that Pope Benedict III occupied the throne at that time serving as Pope from 855-858. However, records have often been amended to save embarrassment.

Answer 3

a million. How will this substitute mark a "entering the twenty first Century"? Black adult men and women were round purely as long as white adult men. 2. even as race isn't an situation, the guidelines obviously state that a Pope will be a practising Catholic male. 3. Popes are elected, no longer appointed. they are elected by the school of Cardinals, commonly from between their personal contributors. 4. there have been 2 African bishops contained in the Cardinaliate this time and really one of them became especially widespread because of the hot spreading of the Church in Africa.

Answer 4

I don't think the "active" roster of Popes includes Pope Joan [aka John?] around the 10th or 11th century...

Apparently, that Pope was in Lebanon and joined a procession when she suddenly gave birth!

And of course, as the story goes, much to the chagrin of the people who witnessed such a shocking revelation, she was immediately stoned to death...

However such a tale would never have the Imprimatur [seal] of the Vatican and would be deemed heretical or grounds for excommunication no less.

Peace be with you.

Answer 5

As many have said there have been rumours of a female Pope. Pope Joan. There is also a common misconception. Technically any Confirmed Catholic can become Pope be it a man or a woman.

Answer 6

Pope Joan

Answer 7

It is told that a woman was chosen to be the Pope many centuries ago, I can't recall his/her name. I know they changed her name to a man's name.
It is said that after this incident, a test to prove that the Pope was a man was compulsory. This test, was: someone to touch the Pope's balls in front of bishops, cardinals, etc.
The name of this Pope was Pope Joan, she reigned during the 9th century. However, some people say that this was a political thing to attack the catholic church. There is no factual proof of it.

Answer 8

As far is I am aware Pope Joan is a myth so no there has never been a woman Pope
Pope Joan is also a character in Carol Churchill's play 'Top Girls'.

Answer 9

There has been rumours I think. Given that the Pope must first have been a priest, cardinal, then pope. Many of these positions have been held by suspicious people of spurious morality, it would be of no surprise.

Answer 10

i did hear something about a female pope but I do believe it was a myth.
It is against the rules for a woman to be a pope.

Answer 11

No not this one - he has never had the necessary surgery.

There will never be female popes cos you just cant get the accessories - you know - nail varnish, pearls, handbags ... ok I'm trying to be a silly as the question