Pope Joan?

[Piccoli Fiori JMJ]

+JMJ+

Hi!

I've heard the stories about "Pope Joan" and how her cover was blown when she gave birth while taking a walk or something. She isn't real, right? It's just a story, I've heard a Protestant story, right? Thanks!

Yours in the Most Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary,

FutureNunJMJ

[Pio Nono]

JMJ
5/5 - Fourth Wednesday of Easter

FutureNunJMJ,

There's a number of historical explanations for the Pope Joan myth. I'll go over two of the most widely accepted views.

1.) Pope Joan was a woman in France who attempted to claim the papacy as an anti-Pope. Anyone could "proclaim" themselves Pope with the support of a hundred farmers with pitchforks back then; we know of numerous cases of people "proclaiming" themselves to be the Pope, when in fact, they never were. This could be the case with "Pope Joan."

2.) Pope John VIII was known for being rather effeminate. People used to insult him by changing his masculine name (whatever it was) into its feminine equivalent (whatever that was), which is another explanation of the Pope Joan theory.

At best, a woman sitting on the Papal throne having "convinced" hundreds of thousands of people that she is, in fact, a he, is preposterous, especially if one knows how they used to test candidates for the priesthood (think about it). A book about this myth has recently come out, and I can do nothing but throw away every stray copy you see - it's more fiction than fact. Hope this helps.

Yours,
Pio Nono