The Corpse on the Throne

Seven months after his death, the body of Pope Formosus was dragged from its tomb by his successor, Pope Stephen VI. In what is known as the Cadaver Synod, the decomposing remains were propped up on a throne to face a full ecclesiastical trial. Dressed in ornate papal vestments, the corpse was accused of violating canon law and assuming the papacy illegally.

The Verdict and Mutilation

During the trial, a deacon was assigned to speak for the dead man, though Formosus remained understandably silent. Predictably, the court found the corpse guilty. His election was declared void, and his acts as Pope were invalidated. As punishment, the three fingers he used for blessings were hacked off his right hand, and his body was stripped and thrown into the Tiber River.

Aftermath and Legacy

Later popes eventually rehabilitated Formosus's memory, banning the trial of the dead entirely. However, the bizarre spectacle remains a testament to the chaotic political infighting of the 9th-century papacy, where even the grave offered no protection from one's enemies.