The Bad Popes

In 2000, Pope John Paul II issued a formal apology for all the mistakes committed by some Catholics in the last 2,000 years of the Catholic Church's history, including the trial of Galileo among others.

On the TV show, DaVinci's Demons, Pope Sixtus IV has a starring role. His Papacy was from 9 August 1471 - 12 August 1484 and the TV show is set in 1477,

His accomplishments as Pope included the establishment of the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Archives. Sixtus also furthered the agenda of the Spanish Inquisition. He was famed for his nepotism and was personally involved in the infamous Pazzi Conspiracy ( a centerpiece of the TV series). The historian Stefano Infessura called him a "lover of boys and sodomites", and suggested he awarded benefices and bishoprics in return for sexual favours and nominated a number of young men as cardinals, some of whom were celebrated for their looks (including his own nephews). In the TV show he is portrayed as a corrupt, sadistic, egotistical monster whose minions slit the throats of his young boy sex toys rather than risk having the world know about his sexual activities.

Another TV series on Showtime called "The Borgias" features Pope Alexander VI (played by Jeremy Irons) whose papacy was from 11 August 1492 – 18 August 1503. Of Alexander's many mistresses the one for whom passion lasted longest was a certain Vannozza (Giovanna) dei Cattani, born in 1442. She bore him four children whom he openly acknowledged as his own.

Does anyone know how the present day Catholic popes deals with the "bad popes". I don't think that they deny that they existed or did many of these activities, although some of the charges were probably political. Does Papal infallibility apply to them as well as the good popes?

Does the edict issued by John Paul II cover the corrupt popes as well as other bad things done by the church?

Seems rather run fo the mill for a line of men who were, in essence, Roman Emperors.

You might be interested in the audio book on my tablet right now. "The March of Folly," by, I think Barbara Tuchman. She examines a few episodes of policies she deems to be folly, by her definition. There's a section on the Renaissance Popes. And one on the Spaniard conquest of Mexico, the Troyan Horse (really), the loss of the American colonies, and Vietnam.

I wasn't very interested in the Popes, but, man, that was high depravity that makes the luminiaries of the Left, like Wiener and Spitzer, look like saints.

Tuchman was criticized for some of her last books for taking too personal and moralistic view of history. But she was always interesting.

Quote: Pacomartin

Tuchman was criticized for some of her last books for taking too personal and moralistic view of history. But she was always interesting.

From my own listening, she goes into too much detail over some things, but glosses over others. She also insists to much on viewing things in hindsight.