A Pope Put a Dead Pope on Trial
In 897 CE, Pope Stephen VI dug up his predecessor Pope Formosus, who had died months earlier. Stephen dressed the corpse in papal robes and put the dead pope on trial for perjury and other crimes. The corpse “testified” via a deacon speaking on its behalf. Found guilty, the dead pope’s three blessing fingers were cut off, and his body was thrown into the Tiber River.
