Cadaver Synod
Why was a corpse put on trial in medieval Rome?
4.2 (16)
45 mins
Explore the political intrigue surrounding Pope Formosus’s posthumous condemnation in medieval Rome. Discover the chilling story of the Cadaver Synod and its impact on church authority. Learn about how history tried to erase this scandal, yet its dark legacy endures.
Ep 1:
A Throne Built on Chaos
As Rome's Carolingian world crumbles, a brilliant but polarizing pope named Formosus rises through treacherous politics—only for the vengeful House of Spoleto to plot his ultimate humiliation.
Ep 2:
The Corpse on the Papal Throne
Nine months after burial, Pope Formosus is dragged from his tomb, dressed in papal robes, and forced to stand trial for his life—already dead, and utterly defenseless.
Ep 3:
When Vengeance Devours Itself
Stephen VI's grotesque triumph curdles into disaster as Rome erupts in horror, omens multiply, and the pope who put a corpse on trial faces a brutal reckoning of his own.
Ep 4:
Erasing a Dead Pope's Ghost
Centuries of Church cover-ups couldn't fully bury one of history's strangest scandals—follow how the Cadaver Synod's truth survived censorship, silence, and deliberate historical erasure.
Discussions (12)
Paisley
Level 10 · 8 mo agoCalling this a horror movie is super dramatic lol
Luke
Level 9 · 9 mo agoStephen was definitely a rogue actor. Just crazy.
Russell
Level 6 · 8 mo agostephen thought he was cooking by putting a dead pope on trial but just got himself strangled lmao
