Which Pope declared the capybara as fish?

Question

Which Pope declared the capybara as fish?

I know as much as it being the 1500s and that there were 18 popes during that span. Unfortunately I cannot even find what year the capybara were first discovered to try to pinpoint it or anything.

Answer 1

All of these interesting stories that I have found so far do not note official documents or even the Pope's name. So until documented I shall refer to then as legend.

Legend has it that Church authorities declared species that were not fish but spent a lot of time in the water as fish including:
+ Beavers
+ Capybaras
+ Muskrats
+ Sea turtles
+ Iguanas
+ Sea birds

This practice was to enable people to eat more animals on Fridays and on any days during Lent.

Lent was typically at the end of winter when domesticated meat was running low and none of the non-fishy fishes were domesticated.

The needs of the people were more important than emerging scientific definitions.

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

Pope Capybara the First.

Answer 3

That was the 16th century... popes didn't last that long then, and the online catholic encyclopedia doesn't have an article on these critters

Answer 4

Capybaras are not in the bible and therefore, like dinosaurs, they don't exist. I wonder what will happen when catholics find out it's THEM the ones that don't exist?

Answer 5

Another reason making Catholics not Christian, following men not God.