The Middle Ages were a time of many tales...mainly due to Church suppression that did not support the education of the common man. Not being taught to to read, nor being allowed to read the Holy Scriptures unless there was a priest or other member of the Roman Church present, and the "serfdom economics of the times", left many to only pass along their stories and general knowledge by word of mouth...including the popular stories on the "lives of the saints" etc.
There is one story that is denied by many, simply a legend, yet has that aura that makes you wonder" "Could this one be true?"
Jean Pierier of Mailly, a Middle Age chronological historian, when writing from Metz in France...mentions an unusual event that had happened earlier in Roman Catholic church history. He writes of a pope...a "Pope Joan"...a female pope that had lived earlier.
Martin of Troppau, a Dominican friar in the Middle Age era (1200-1300 A.D.), also writes of a ...female pope. This friar from Poland elaborates a little more on this female pope that supposedly existed. The reason his writings "add some weight" this story is based on the fact he was the confessor and chaplain for Pope Alexander IV, Pope Urban IV, Pope Clement IV, Pope Gregory, Pope Innocent V, Pope Adrian V, and Pope John XXI. In his latter writings he adds one more...a Pope Joan. (The papacy of Pope changed hands frequently during the Middle Ages...23 times in the 9th century alone.).
Most versions describe this female Pope as a very talented and well-educated woman...including a good understanding of the Holy Scriptures. She is said to have disguised herself as a man, and rose through the Church hierarchy...eventually elected Pope.
Chronological writings also report that while she was mounting a horse serving as Pope, she had not realized the nearness of birth, for she had become pregnant, and immediately gave birth to a son. Reports vary as to what happened after that, some saying she dies while giving birth, others write she was killed by an angry mob because of her female status, while others report she died later of natural causes.
One thing is for sure...she was not acknowledged by any of her successors.
In some of the earliest writings concerning a female Pope, one of the first Middle Age writers to attach a name to her was a Dominican friar named Etienne de Bourbon. He writes that her official name was "John Anglicus" or "John of Mainz" and here reign as Pope was traced to the 9th century, perhaps in the 850's between Pope Leo IV and Pope Benedict III.
According to a 12th century chronicle, "John Anglicus", born at Mainz, was Pope for approximately 2 years, 7 months, and 4 days. She passed away in Rome, and the Papacy was vacant for approximately one month.
It is said John was actually a girl and had been originally been brought to Athens to continue her education with the help of a monk...who had been her teacher...and lover.
After being elected into the papal office as Pope, she had become pregnant by her "secret monk lover". As she was mounting up to join a procession from St. Peter's to Lateran, a lane once named Via Sacra (the Sacred Way), it was at this time she gave birth.
As a result of this occasion, Via Sacra has changed its name to the street known as as "Shunned Street", the street now running from the Colosseum to St. Clement church. It has also been noted that after Joan's death, she was buried on this very street.
After this event had occurred, the Popes when travelling in this area of Rome, were reported to turn aside from this street, because of what had happened when "Pope Joan" had given birth. Also, her name fails to appear on the lists of Holy Pontiffs.
Later, in the trial of Jan Hus in the early 14th century, Hus being a forerunner of the Reformation Era and he himself being a Czech priest who wanted reform within the Holy Church (living prior to men like Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Zwingli), spoke at his trial for heresy, that the Church does not necessarily need a Pope, and mentions the fact that during the time of "Pope Agnes", the Church got along quite well. So, was it possible Pope Joan's real name was...Agnes?
What was interesting about the trial of Jan Hus was the fact his opponents argued there was not a time when the Church was without a Pope....but they did not dispute...there was a female Pope!
Today, much of the stories of Pope Joan or Agnes have been dismissed as legend...as tales that were plentiful during the time of the Middle Ages. It has simply been regarded as "history that never happened".
David Blondel, a 17th century Protestant historian, wrote the whole "Pope Joan" story was simply a satire directed against Pope John XI, who died in his early 20"s.
A 16th century history named Panvino wrote the "Pope Joan" story could have originated from the tales of Pope John XII, who reportedly had numerous mistresses...including one named Joan. One thing seems to have been noted by historians in general, women had great influence on the reigning Popes...during the Middle Ages.
So, the bottom line is...for the most part...the whole "Pope Joan" story is...a myth.
Yet...not so fast...I still think there is an element of truth in all this...maybe there really was an Agnes...who became known to all as "Pope Joan".
I mean, why do the Popes go around the street they now call the "Shunned Street"? Is there a statue of a mother and child...on this street today?
And then you read of the stories from others, like the Irish priest named Marian Scotus spent 10 years at the Abbey of Fulda...where he claims he was a fellow student with..."Pope Joan".
Do you think...Agnes could have fooled them all?
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