List of murdered popes

Several Roman Catholic popes have been murdered. The circumstances have ranged from martyrdom (Pope Stephen I)^[1] to war (Lucius II),^[2] to a beating by a jealous husband (Pope John XII). A number of other popes have died under circumstances that some believe to be murder, but for which definitive evidence has not been found.

Chronological list of martyr popes

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

In tradition, the first pope, Saint Peter, was crucified upside-down.

The full list of popes from Peter up through John Paul II, including many mentioned as martyrs, is found in I Sommi Pontifici Romani, Annuario Pontificio, and the iconography of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls. A secondary source, Liber Pontificalis or "Book of the Popes", adds "crowned with martyrdom" for half a dozen of the first 33 popes not specifically identified as martyrs in the primary sources. Several other popes are traditionally said to have been martyred, according to the Acts of the Martyrs and other sources of unknown authenticity.

• Saint Peter (c.67), traditionally martyred by crucifixion^[3]
• Pope Linus (Saint) (c.67-c.76)^[4][5]
• Pope Anacletus or Cletus (Saint) (c.79-c.92)^[6][4]
• Pope Clement I (Saint) (c.92-c.99), thrown into sea with anchor around his neck^[4]
• Pope Evaristus (c.99-c.108);^[4][5] not listed in the Roman Martyrology
• Pope Alexander I (Saint) (c.106-c.119);^[4][5] recognition as the martyred Saint Alexander (feast day May 3) rescinded in 1960
• Pope Sixtus I (Saint) (c.119-c.128)^[4][5]
• Pope Telesphorus (Saint) (c.128-c.138)^[4][7]
• Pope Hyginus (Saint) (c.138-c.142);^[4] martyrdom dubious^[8]
• Pope Pius I (Saint) (c.142-c.154), martyred by the sword;^[9] claim of martyrdom removed from the 1969 General Roman Calendar^[10]
• Pope Anicetus (Saint) (155-166), traditionally martyred.^[4]
• Pope Soter (Saint) (166-175), died a martyr ^[4]
• Pope Eleuterus (Saint) (175-189), died a martyr ^[4]
• Pope Victor I (Saint) 189-199, died a martyr ^[4]
• Pope Calixtus I (Saint) (217-222), died a martyr ^[4]
• Pope Urban I (Saint) 222-230, died a martyr ^[4]
• Pope Pontian (Saint) 230-235, condemned to mines in Sardinia and died on island of Tavolara^[4]
• Pope Anterus (Saint) Elected 235-12-21, martyred at hands of Emperor Maximus ^[4]
• Pope Fabian (Saint) Elected 236-1-10 and died a martyr 250-1-20 during persecution by Decius^[4]
• Pope Cornelius (Saint) (Elected March 251 and died a martyr June 253).^[4]
• Pope Lucius I (Saint) Elected 253-6-25 and martyred 254-3-5.^[4]
• Pope Stephen I (Saint) Elected 254-5-12 and martyred 257-8-2.^[4][1]
• Pope Sixtus II (Saint) Elected 257-8-30 and martyred 258-8-6.^[4]
• Pope Dionysius (Saint) Elected 259-7-22 after year of persecutions and died 268-12-26, martyred ^[4]
• Pope Felix I (Saint) Elected 269-1-5 and died 274-12-30, martyred ^[4]
• Pope Eutychian (Saint) Elected 275-1-4 and martyred 283-12-7. ^[4]
• Pope Caius (Saint) Elected 283-12-17 and martyred 296-4-22, but not at hands of his uncle, Diocletian ^[4]
• Pope Marcellinus (Saint) Elected 296-6-30 and martyred 304-10-25 during persecution of Diocletian ^[4]
• Pope Marcellus I (Saint) Elected 308-5-27 after 4-year vacancy and martyred 309-1-16.^[4]
• Pope Eusebius (Saint) Elected 309-4-18 and martyred in Sicily 309-8-17. ^[4][11]
• Pope Martin I (Saint) Elected in 649. Died in exile 655-9-16

Chronological list of popes murdered

• Stephen VI (896–897): Strangled^[12]
• Stephen VIII/(IX) (939–942): Mutilated
• John XII (955–964): Presumed murdered
• Benedict VI (973–974): Strangled^[13]
• John XIV (983–984): Either by starvation, ill-treatment or direct murder^[14]
• Gregory V (996–999): Poisoned

Chronological list of popes who are alleged to have been murdered

• John VIII (872–882): Allegedly poisoned and then clubbed to death^[15]
• Adrian III (884–885): Allegedly poisoned
• Leo V (903): Allegedly strangled^[16]
• John X (914–928): Allegedly smothered with pillow^[17]
• Stephen VII/(VIII) (929–931): Allegedly murdered
• Sergius IV (1009–1012): Allegedly murdered
• Clement II (1046–1047): Allegedly poisoned^[18]
• Damasus II (1048): Allegedly murdered
• John XXI (1276-1277): While visiting the construction of a church, the roof collapsed on him, leading to conspiracy theories
• Celestine V (1294, died 1296): Held captive and allegedly murdered after his abdication, by order of his successor, Pope Boniface VIII^[19]
• Boniface VIII (1294–1303): Death possibly (though unlikely) from the effects of ill-treatment one month before^[20]
• Benedict XI (1304–1305): Allegedly poisoned; no evidence provided
• Pius XI (1922-1939): Allegedly (though unlikely), in connection with his doctor's having been the father of Benito Mussolini's mistress
• John Paul I (1978): Death 33 days after Papal election led to conspiracy theories^[21]

See also

References

Popes of the Catholic Church List of popes canonised Tombs extant non-extant Antipope Pope emeritus Papal resignation Pope-elect 1st–4th centuries During the Roman Empire (until 493) including under Constantine (312–337) Peter Linus Anacletus Clement I Evaristus Alexander I Sixtus I Telesphorus Hyginus Pius I Anicetus Soter Eleuterus Victor I Zephyrinus Callixtus I Urban I Pontian Anterus Fabian Cornelius Lucius I Stephen I Sixtus II Dionysius Felix I Eutychian Caius Marcellinus Marcellus I Eusebius Miltiades Sylvester I Mark Julius I Liberius Damasus I Siricius Anastasius I 5th–8th centuries Ostrogothic Papacy (493–537) Byzantine Papacy (537–752) Frankish Papacy (756–857) Innocent I Zosimus Boniface I Celestine I Sixtus III Leo I Hilarius Simplicius Felix III Gelasius I Anastasius II Symmachus Hormisdas John I Felix IV Boniface II John II Agapetus I Silverius Vigilius Pelagius I John III Benedict I Pelagius II Gregory I Sabinian Boniface III Boniface IV Adeodatus I Boniface V Honorius I Severinus John IV Theodore I Martin I Eugene I Vitalian Adeodatus II Donus Agatho Leo II Benedict II John V Conon Sergius I John VI John VII Sisinnius Constantine Gregory II Gregory III Zachary Stephen II Paul I Stephen III Adrian I Leo III 9th–12th centuries Papal selection before 1059 Saeculum obscurum (904–964) Crescentii era (974–1012) Tusculan Papacy (1012–1044/1048) Imperial Papacy (1048–1257) Stephen IV Paschal I Eugene II Valentine Gregory IV Sergius II Leo IV Benedict III Nicholas I Adrian II John VIII Marinus I Adrian III Stephen V Formosus Boniface VI Stephen VI Romanus Theodore II John IX Benedict IV Leo V Sergius III Anastasius III Lando John X Leo VI Stephen VII John XI Leo VII Stephen VIII Marinus II Agapetus II John XII Benedict V Leo VIII John XIII Benedict VI Benedict VII John XIV John XV Gregory V Sylvester II John XVII John XVIII Sergius IV Benedict VIII John XIX Benedict IX Sylvester III Benedict IX Gregory VI Clement II Benedict IX Damasus II Leo IX Victor II Stephen IX Nicholas II Alexander II Gregory VII Victor III Urban II Paschal II Gelasius II Callixtus II Honorius II Innocent II Celestine II Lucius II Eugene III Anastasius IV Adrian IV Alexander III Lucius III Urban III Gregory VIII Clement III Celestine III Innocent III 13th–16th centuries Viterbo (1257–1281) Orvieto (1262–1297) Perugia (1228–1304) Avignon Papacy (1309–1378) Western Schism (1378–1417) Renaissance Papacy (1417–1534) Reformation Papacy (1534–1585) Baroque Papacy (1585–1689) Honorius III Gregory IX Celestine IV Innocent IV Alexander IV Urban IV Clement IV Gregory X Innocent V Adrian V John XXI Nicholas III Martin IV Honorius IV Nicholas IV Celestine V Boniface VIII Benedict XI Clement V John XXII Benedict XII Clement VI Innocent VI Urban V Gregory XI Urban VI Boniface IX Innocent VII Gregory XII Martin V Eugene IV Nicholas V Callixtus III Pius II Paul II Sixtus IV Innocent VIII Alexander VI Pius III Julius II Leo X Adrian VI Clement VII Paul III Julius III Marcellus II Paul IV Pius IV Pius V Gregory XIII Sixtus V Urban VII Gregory XIV Innocent IX Clement VIII 17th–20th centuries Revolutionary Papacy (1775–1848) Roman Question (1870–1929) Vatican City (1929–present) World War II (1939–1945) Leo XI Paul V Gregory XV Urban VIII Innocent X Alexander VII Clement IX Clement X Innocent XI Alexander VIII Innocent XII Clement XI Innocent XIII Benedict XIII Clement XII Benedict XIV Clement XIII Clement XIV Pius VI Pius VII Leo XII Pius VIII Gregory XVI Pius IX Leo XIII Pius X Benedict XV Pius XI Pius XII John XXIII Paul VI John Paul I John Paul II 21st century Benedict XVI Francis Book Category Pope portal Catholicism portal