 Editor in Chief Bill   | 21 Sep 2018 11:42 a.m. PST |
Medieval legends claim that Pope Joan was the first and only female pope. And now, an analysis of ancient silver coins suggests that the ordained woman may have actually lived… link |
| Winston Smith | 21 Sep 2018 11:51 a.m. PST |
My own extensive personal research ( 5 minutes on Google and Wikipedia) show that Pope Joan was long admitted by the Church to be at least plausible.
Notably when Hus said a Pope wasn't really needed because it got along quite well when Joan was Pope. His reasoning was attacked (sexism?) but not the fact of there having been a Pope Joan.
Scholars can argue all they want. My own personal belief is that history should be fun. Ergo erat. QED. |
ZULUPAUL  | 21 Sep 2018 11:56 a.m. PST |
There were no female Popes. Despite what the Wiki people say. So no I have no use for a female pope or priest (Catholic) figure. |
| Jcfrog | 21 Sep 2018 12:24 p.m. PST |
Duo habet et bene pendantes |
| Glengarry5 | 21 Sep 2018 12:30 p.m. PST |
If there was a female Pope I imagine she would've worked hard to disguise the fact so I imagine you could use any beardless prelete figure! |
| Winston Smith | 21 Sep 2018 12:36 p.m. PST |
Duo habet et bene pendantes. Quidem. Siquidem. Equidem. |
| Gone Fishing | 21 Sep 2018 2:14 p.m. PST |
Bill, I rather suspect you are trying to stir the pot with this one. It's been a while, so perhaps we're due. There was never a female pope. This is hardly likely to convince her fans and well-wishers, but the old myth is looked at in some detail here: link and in intelligent discussion here: link But then, these are Papist sources, so make of them what you will. |
| bsrlee | 21 Sep 2018 2:20 p.m. PST |
As Glengarry5 says, once in formal Church attire, you couldn't tell the difference, except for 5 o'clock shadow. |
| 79thPA | 21 Sep 2018 5:16 p.m. PST |
Maybe I missed it, but how does the analysis prove anything? |
| Winston Smith | 21 Sep 2018 5:33 p.m. PST |
The monogram on the coin was apparently more feminine. Isn't that good enough proof?
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| Grelber | 21 Sep 2018 6:45 p.m. PST |
The story--at least one version of it--is that she did disguise her sex, even while pregnant. However, when you start to give birth before the altar at St. Peter's in the middle of celebrating mass, it's kind of difficult to cover up. It was used by as a smear story by early Protestant leaders. It makes for a fun story, but . . . Grelber |
| David Manley | 22 Sep 2018 6:33 a.m. PST |
"However, when you start to give birth before the altar at St. Peter's in the middle of celebrating mass, it's kind of difficult to cover up." Wow, its a miracle! So no, not really all that difficult :) |
| Cerdic | 22 Sep 2018 10:16 a.m. PST |
Not being in any way religious, I don't care if there was a female Pope or not. However, there are recorded instances of women passing themselves off as men and serving as soldiers in 18th/19th Century armies. I would think being a pope would be easier – more accommodating clothing, more privacy etc. So, not impossible. Just highly unlikely. Either way, it's impossible to irrefutably prove. Which makes it a perfect topic for a t'internet arguement! |
| Hector Blackwolf | 24 Sep 2018 3:41 p.m. PST |
I think the Pope giving birth would be remarkable enough that we would have a plethora of reports recounting the event had such a thing occurred. Fun to think about though. Besides, I find miniature wargaming works better if we lean more towards history as it ought to have been rather than was it was. |
| Bunkermeister | 26 Sep 2018 8:08 p.m. PST |
A Roman Catholic priest must be male, and so must the Pope. Therefore there cannot have been a female Pope, even if a woman disguised herself as a man and went through the motions of being Pope and was recognized by others as Pope, she would not be Pope. Mike Bunkermeister Creek
Bunker Talk blog |
| Asteroid X | 10 Oct 2018 11:48 p.m. PST |
Was this posted on April 1? |
| jeeves | 20 Oct 2018 6:36 a.m. PST |
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