1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

gotten the papal throne away from him.Accordingly, his first act was to cause the bodyof Pope Formosua to be exhumed, mutilated andthrown into the Tiber. Subsequently one of the"brethren" strangled him.Christopher, 300-903, boldly deposed hispredecessor, Leo V. declaring him unfit to reign,which has doubtless true. Leo died "of grief" inprison less than forty days after he had ascendedthe throne. He probably had something givenhim to help his grief along. Christopher himselfwas murdered by his successor. Sergius III, 904-911, having murdered Christopher, ascended thethrone and emulated the kings of earlier days.His concubine Marosia bore him severalchildren. John X, 915-928, and Leo VI, 928-929,were both killed by Marosia, to make room forothers in whom she was interested. John XI, 931-936, was the son of Marosia by Pope Sergius III.Cue of the brethren"FM34poisoned him. John XII, 956-964, was murderedwhile in the act of committing adultery. He wasof licentious habits, associating with women ofevery station, and filling the Lateran with thenoisy profanity of a brothel.Among his mistresses was Joan, popularlyknown in history as Pope Joan. She was abrilliant woman and actually exercised the chiefinfluence at Rome during John's pontificate.Benedict VI, 972-973, was strangled or poisonedby one of the "saints." Boniface VII, 984-985,was elected just after the tumult caused by thedeath of Benedict VI, but had to leave town toescape a similar fate, on account oflicentiousness and cruelty. He remained awayeleven years, returned, but Pope John XIV inprison, starved him to death and ascended thethrone in his place.Gregory V, 996-999, was poisoned by one of the"regularly ordained" clergy. Benedict IX, 1033-1045, the boy pope whose parents bought thepopedom for him when he was twelve years old,was the worst monster that ever held the papal