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Pope Joan (Ioannes Anglicus, 855–857) was, according to legend, a woman who reigned as pope for two years [1] during the Middle Ages. Her story first appeared in chronicles in the 13th century and subsequently spread throughout Europe.
Oct 22, 2020 · The scandalous story of a female pope named Joan arose in the Middle Ages, saying she gained her role in disguise and lost it when she unexpectedly gave birth. The origins of the Papacy are traditionally traced to St. Peter, one of the original disciples of Jesus.
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Apr 9, 2024 · Fortunately, modern scholars are just as adamant as Florimond and Blondel were in their eras: Pope Joan never existed, regardless of anti-Catholic wishful thinking. As for the dreaded street in Rome, popes in the Middle Ages did avoid it. But they were not thinking of Pope Joan.
Jun 10, 2015 · Despite her medieval celebrity, most historians now dismiss Pope Joan as a myth. There are no reliable references to her during her lifetime, and her supposed reign overlaps with those of two...
Feb 18, 2019 · Many have believed that there was once a woman who became pope. The legends of a Pope Joan are intriguing, but probably not true.
Oct 31, 2017 · The Church officially denies the existence of a female pope. Many historians have argued that the woman who gave birth during the procession in which Joan was supposed to have been revealed was most likely actual Pope Urban VIII’s niece.
Throughout the late medieval period, up until the Reformation, many considered Pope Joan real, and the official 1415 Council of Constance famously did not challenge Jan Hus when he spoke of the female Pope Joan. It would be wrong to say that everyone at that time accepted Joan as fact, however.
