A collection of

pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...

s have had violent deaths through the centuries. The circumstances have ranged from

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', 'witness' Word stem, stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an external party. In ...

dom (

Pope Stephen I Pope Stephen I ( ) was the Bishop of Rome from 12 May 254 to his death on 2 August 257.Mann, Horace (1912). "Pope St. Stephen I" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company. He was later Canonization, canonized a ...

) to war (

Lucius II Pope Lucius II (died 15 February 1145), born Gherardo Caccianemici dal Orso, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 9 March 1144 to his death in 1145. His pontificate was notable for the unrest in Rome associated with ...

), to an alleged beating by a jealous husband (

Pope John XII Pope John XII (; 14 May 964), born Octavian, was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 16 December 955 to his death in 964. He was related to the counts of Tusculum, a powerful Roman family which had dominated papal politics for ...

). A number of other popes have died under circumstances that some believe to be murder, but for which definitive evidence has not been found.

Martyr popes

Saint Peter Saint Peter (born Shimon Bar Yonah; 1 BC – AD 64/68), also known as Peter the Apostle, Simon Peter, Simeon, Simon, or Cephas, was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus and one of the first leaders of the Jewish Christian#Jerusalem ekklēsia, e ...

(), traditionally martyred by upside-down

crucifixion Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the condemned is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. It was used as a punishment by the Achaemenid Empire, Persians, Ancient Carthag ...

Pope Linus Pope Linus (; , ''Linos''; died AD 80) was the bishop of Rome from AD 68 to his death in AD 80. He is generally regarded as the second Bishop of Rome, after St. Peter. As with all the early popes, he was canonized. According to Irenaeus, Lin ...

(Saint) ()'' I Sommi Pontifici Romani'' ''

Liber Pontificalis The ''Liber Pontificalis'' (Latin for 'pontifical book' or ''Book of the Popes'') is a book of biography, biographies of popes from Saint Peter until the 15th century. The original publication of the ''Liber Pontificalis'' stopped with Pope Adr ...

'' *

Pope Anacletus Pope Anacletus (born – died ), also known as Cletus, was the bishop of Rome, following Peter and Linus. Anacletus served between and his death, . Cletus was a Roman who, during his tenure as pope, ordained a number of priests and is trad ...

or Cletus (Saint) ()''

Annuario Pontificio The ''Annuario Pontificio'' ( Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides nam ...

'' *

Pope Clement I Clement of Rome (; ; died ), also known as Pope Clement I, was the Bishop of Rome in the late first century AD. He is considered to be the first of the Apostolic Fathers of the Church. Little is known about Clement's life. Tertullian claimed ...

(Saint) (), thrown into sea with anchor around his neck *

Pope Evaristus Pope Evaristus ( Greek: Ευάριστος) was the bishop of Rome from 99/100 to his death in 107/108. He was also known as Aristus and is venerated as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and Oriental Orthodoxy. It is ...

(), not listed in the ''

Roman Martyrology The ''Roman Martyrology'' () is the official martyrology of the Catholic Church. Its use is obligatory in matters regarding the Roman Rite liturgy, but dioceses, countries and religious institutes may add duly approved appendices to it. It provid ...

'' but executed *

Pope Sixtus I Pope Sixtus I (Greek: Σίξτος), also spelled Xystus, a Roman of Greek descent, was the bishop of Rome The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, R ...

(Saint) () *

Pope Telesphorus Pope Telesphorus () was the bishop of Rome from 126 to his death 137, during the reigns of Roman Emperors Hadrian and Antoninus Pius. Telesphorus is traditionally considered as the eighth Bishop of Rome in succession after Peter.

(Saint) () *

Pope Anicetus Pope Anicetus ( Greek: Ανίκητος) was the bishop of Rome from c. 157 to his death in April 168.Campbell, Thomas (1907). "Pope St. Anicetus" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. According to the '' A ...

(Saint) (155–166), traditionally martyred *

Pope Soter Pope Soter (, ) was the bishop of Rome from 167 to his death in 174.Chapman, John (1908). "Caius and Soter, Saints and Popes" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton Company. According to the ''Annuario Pontificio'', ...

(Saint) (166–175), died a martyr *

Pope Eleuterus Pope Eleutherius (; died 24 May 189), also known as Eleutherus (), was the bishop of Rome from c. 174 until his death in 189. His pontificate is alternatively dated to 171–185 or 177–193. He is venerated as a saint in the Catholic Church. H ...

(Saint) (175–189), died a martyr *

Pope Victor I Pope Victor I (died 199) was a Roman African prelate of the Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Rome in the late second century. The dates of his tenure are uncertain, but one source states he became pope in 189 and gives the year of h ...

(Saint) 189–199, died a martyr * Pope Calixtus I (Saint) (217–222), died a martyr *

Pope Urban I Pope Urban I (), also known as Saint Urban (175?–230), was the bishop of Rome from 222 to 23 May 230.Kirsch, Johann Peter (1912). "Pope Urban I" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company. He was born in Rome ...

(Saint) 222–230, died a martyr *

Pope Pontian Pope Pontian (; died October 235) was the bishop of Rome from 21 July 230 to 28 September 235.Kirsch, Johann Peter (1911). "Pope St. Pontian" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company. In 235, during the perse ...

(Saint) 230–235, condemned to mines in Sardinia and died on island of Tavolara *

Pope Anterus Pope Anterus (, , romanized: ''Antheros'') was the bishop of Rome from 21 November 235 until his death on 3 January 236.Shahan, Thomas (1907). "Pope St. Anterus" in ''The Catholic Encyclopedia''. Vol. 1. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Life A ...

(Saint), elected 21 November 235, martyred at hands of

Emperor Maximus Magnus Maximus (; died 28 August 388) was Roman emperor in the West from 383 to 388. He usurped the throne from emperor Gratian. Born in Gallaecia, he served as an officer in Britain under Theodosius the Elder during the Great Conspiracy. I ...

Pope Fabian Pope Fabian () was the bishop of Rome from 10 January 236 until his death on 20 January 250, succeeding Pope Anterus, Anterus. A Doves as symbols, dove is said to have descended on his head to mark him as the Holy Spirit in Christianity, Holy Sp ...

(Saint), elected 10 January 236 and died a martyr during persecution and

decapitated Decapitation is the total separation of the head from the body. Such an injury is invariably fatal to humans and all vertebrate animals, since it deprives the brain of oxygenated blood by way of severing through the jugular vein and common ...

Decius Gaius Messius Quintus Trajanus Decius ( 201June 251), known as Trajan Decius or simply Decius (), was Roman emperor from 249 to 251. A distinguished politician during the reign of Philip the Arab, Decius was proclaimed emperor by his troops a ...

Pope Cornelius Pope Cornelius () was the bishop of Rome from 6th or 13 March 251 until his martyrdom in June 253. He was pope during and following a period of persecution of the church, while a schism occurred over how Lapsi (Christianity), repentant church mem ...

(Saint), elected March 251 and died a martyr June 253 *

Pope Lucius I Pope Lucius I was the bishop of Rome from 25 June 253 to his death on 5 March 254. He was banished soon after his consecration, but gained permission to return. He was mistakenly classified as a martyr in the persecution by Emperor Valerian, whi ...

(Saint), elected 25 June 253 and martyred 5 March 254 *

(Saint), elected 12 May 254 and martyred 2 August 257 * Pope Sixtus II (Saint), elected 30 August 257 and martyred 6 August 258 *

Pope Dionysius Pope Dionysius (Greek language, Greek: Διονύσιος) was the bishop of Rome from 22 July 259 AD to his death on 26 December 268. His task was to reorganise the Catholic Church, after the persecutions of Roman emperor, Emperor Valerian I, a ...

(Saint), elected 22 July 259 after year of persecutions and died 26 December 268, martyred * Pope Felix I (Saint), elected 5 January 269 and died 30 December 274, martyred *

Pope Eutychian Pope Eutychian, also called Eutychianus (), was the bishop of Rome from 4 January 275 to his death on 7 December 283. Eutychian's original epitaph was discovered in the catacomb of Callixtus (see Kraus, ''Roma sotterranea'', p. 154 et seq ...

(Saint), elected 4 January 275 and martyred 7 December 283 *

Pope Caius Pope Caius (died 22 April 296), also called Gaius, was the bishop of Rome from 17 December 283 to his death in 296. Little information on Caius is available except that given by the ''Liber Pontificalis'', which relies on a legendary account of ...

(Saint), elected 17 December 283 and martyred 22 April 296 but not at hands of his uncle

Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...

Pope Marcellinus Pope Marcellinus was the bishop of Rome from 30 June 296 to his death in 304. A historical accusation was levelled at him by some sources to the effect that he might have renounced Christianity during Emperor Diocletian's persecution of Christia ...

(Saint), elected 30 June 296 and martyred 25 October 304 during persecution of Diocletian *

Pope Marcellus I Pope Marcellus I () (6 January 255 – 16 January 309) was the bishop of Rome from May or June 308 to his death on 16 January 309. He succeeded Marcellinus after a considerable interval. Under Maxentius, he was banished from Rome in 309, on acc ...

(Saint), elected 27 May 308 after 4-year vacancy and martyred 16 January 309 *

Pope Eusebius Pope Eusebius (died 21 October 310) was the bishop of Rome from 18 April 309 until his exile on 17 August 310. Biography Not much is known about Eusebius' early life, but he was probably a Greek. As in the case of his predecessor, Marcellu ...

(Saint), elected 18 April 309 and martyred in Sicily 17 August 309. *

Pope John I Pope John I (; died 18 May 526) was the bishop of Rome from 13 August 523 to his death on 18 May 526. He was a native of Siena (or the "Castello di Serena", near Chiusdino), in Italy. He was sent on a diplomatic mission to Constantinople by the ...

(Saint), elected 13 August 523, during the

Ostrogothic The Ostrogoths () were a Roman-era Germanic peoples, Germanic people. In the 5th century, they followed the Visigoths in creating one of the two great Goths, Gothic kingdoms within the Western Roman Empire, drawing upon the large Gothic populatio ...

occupation of the Italian peninsula. Was sent as an envoy by Ostrogoth king

Theodoric the Great Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal, was king of the Ostrogoths (475–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy between 493 and 526, regent of the Visigoths (511–526 ...

to Constantinople. Upon return, Theodoric accused John I of conspiracy with the Byzantine empire. Imprisoned and starved to death on 18 May 526. *

Pope Martin I Pope Martin I (, ; between 590 and 600 – 16 September 655), also known as Martin the Confessor, was the bishop of Rome from 21 July 649 to his death 16 September 655. He had served as Pope Theodore I's ambassador to Constantinople, and was pap ...

(Saint) Elected in 649. Died in exile 16 September 655.

Murdered popes

Pope Pius I Pius I (, Greek: Πίος) was the bishop of Rome from 140 to his death 154, according to the ''Annuario Pontificio''. His dates are listed as 142 or 146 to 157 or 161, respectively. He is considered to have opposed both the Valentinians and ...

(Saint) (), martyred by the sword according to old sources. Claim of martyrdom removed from the 1969

General Roman Calendar The General Roman Calendar (GRC) is the liturgy, liturgical calendar that indicates the dates of celebrations of saints and Sacred mysteries, mysteries of the Lord (Jesus Christ) in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church, wherever this liturgic ...

after recent revisions. * John VIII (872–882), poisoned and then clubbed to death * Stephen VI (896–897), strangled * Leo V (903), allegedly strangled *

John X Pope John X (; died 28 May 928) was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States from March 914 to his death. A candidate of the counts of Tusculum, he attempted to unify Italy under the leadership of Berengar of Friuli, and was inst ...

(914–928), allegedly smothered with a pillow * John XII (955–964), allegedly murdered by the jealous husband of the woman with whom he was in bed * Benedict VI (973–974), strangled * John XIV (983–984), died either by starvation, ill-treatment, or direct murder Pope John XIV
nowiki> NewAdvent.org * Clement II (1046–1047), allegedly poisonedPope Clement II
NewAdvent.org *

Celestine V Celestine is a given name and a surname. People Given name * Pope Celestine I (died 432) * Pope Celestine II (died 1144) * Pope Celestine III (c. 1106–1198) * Pope Celestine IV (died 1241) * Pope Celestine V (1215–1296) * Antipop ...

(1294–1296), allegedly murdered while in post-abdication captivity. Allegations blame his successor,

Pope Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII (; born Benedetto Caetani; – 11 October 1303) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 until his death in 1303. The Caetani, Caetani family was of baronial origin with connections t ...

.Gregorovius, Ferdinand (1906) ''History of the City of Rome in the Middle Ages'' vol. 5 part 2 *

Boniface VIII Pope Boniface VIII (; born Benedetto Caetani; – 11 October 1303) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 December 1294 until his death in 1303. The Caetani family was of baronial origin with connections to the p ...

(1294–1303) was in conflict with

Philip IV of France Philip IV (April–June 1268 – 29 November 1314), called Philip the Fair (), was King of France from 1285 to 1314. Jure uxoris, By virtue of his marriage with Joan I of Navarre, he was also King of Navarre and Count of Champagne as Philip&n ...

and was temporarily abducted by his forces. He died one month later, allegedly as a result of ill-treatment during his abduction, though this is an unlikely cause.Pope Boniface VIII
NewAdvent.org

< ...

* List of popes from the Medici family * List of popes sorted alphabetically

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Popes who died violently Lists of people by cause of death Lists of religious figures Died violently *

Popes The pope is the bishop of Rome and the visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the pope was the sovereign or head of sta ...

Pope-related lists

Martyr popes

Murdered popes

See also

Lists of popes

< ...

References