Tuesday, April 19, 2005

List of Popes

I was just looking at CNN's headline about Ratzinger being the 265th Pope, but if you look at a list of Popes, he's listed at 266.

So, if you subtract out:

Stephen II (752) -- Because he died before being consecrated, some lists (including the Vatican's official list) omit him.

you might as well omit:

Sylvester III (1045) -- Considered by some to be an antipope

But then there was Benedict IX who served from 1032-45, then in 1045 again, then from 1047-1048 (#s 146, 148, and 151 on the list).

So, conservatively Ratzenberger (herein known as Pope Clavin II) could be #262, or at most 266. Why they hell would you count Benedict IX 3 times anyway?


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