Really Inappropriate Deaths in History

Really Inappropriate Deaths in History

Khalid Elhassan - December 19, 2020

Really Inappropriate Deaths in History
Pope Leo VIII. Alamy

35. The Two Time Pope Who Died During Fornication

Pope Leo VIII (915 – 965) was Holy Father – or at least asserted himself as Holy Father – twice. Once from 963 to 964, and then again from June 964 until his death the following March. The Catholic Church considers him to have been an antipope during that first 963 to 964 stretch, but to have been a legitimate pope the second time around, from 964 to 965.

Understandably, he did not accomplish that much during his brief stints as pope to make him a figure of much historic significance. He is better known not for what he did in life, but for how he shuffled off the mortal coil: Pope Leo VIII died while getting it on.

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