Probably a native of Rome, Pope Formosus was born around 816.
11 Facts About Pope Formosus
1.
2.
Pope Formosus undertook diplomatic missions to France.
3.
Pope Formosus fled to Tours after despoiling the cloisters in Rome.
4.
When Pope Formosus did not comply, he was removed from the ranks of the clergy and excommunicated on the grounds that he had deserted his diocese without papal permission, and had aspired to the position of archbishop of Bulgaria.
5.
In 867, while Pope Formosus was serving as legate to the Bulgarian court, Boris I requested that he be named archbishop of Bulgaria.
6.
Shortly after his election, Pope Formosus was asked to intervene in the Patriarchate of Constantinople, where Photius I had been ejected and Stephen I, the son of Emperor Basil I, had taken the office.
7.
Pope Formosus refused to reinstate those who had been ordained by Photius, as his predecessor, Stephen V, had nullified all of Photius' ordinations.
8.
Pope Formosus immediately immersed himself in the dispute between Odo of Paris and Charles the Simple for the French throne.
9.
Pope Formosus was deeply distrustful of Guy III of Spoleto, the reigning emperor, and began looking for support against him.
10.
Pope Formosus was succeeded by Boniface VI, whose papacy lasted 15 days.
11.
The decision of Sergius with respect to Pope Formosus has subsequently been universally disregarded by the Catholic Church, since Pope Formosus' condemnation had little to do with piety and more to do with politics.