Popes in the H*ll?

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OrthodoxBerean

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Is it possible for a pope to end up in h*ll? I am assuming that this can be since the papal office only gaurantees that when he speaks on faith and morals that he will do so infallably, but this does not make him logically impeccable. Are there some popes that could historially “qualify” for such a position? If not…ok. If so which ones?

(Ofcourse just speculation, not judgement)
 
Of course it’s possible.

The popes are only human, just like the rest of us, and just as capable of sin (as proven by some of the shenanigans in the middle ages!) What a great tragedy it would be, though, for a shepherd to be lost.
 
Dante sure thought some Popes belonged in Hell, but he is probably a bad example. I am very interested in hearing what is said on this. I hope an apologist chimes in on this thread.
 
It is possible for any human being to end up in hell. The Pope is only infallible when he speaks as the head of the church, and only on matters of faith and morals. He is not impeccable, only Jesus is. So, a Pope can actually speak with binding moral authority and then disobey his own dogmatic statements, causing himself to lapse into mortal sin. It sounds wierd, but it is possible.
 
Yes

St John Chrysostom:
“the road to hell is paved with the bones of priests and lined with the skulls of bishops.”
 
And just to add my last 2 cents on who “qualifies”, I don’t even think the Pope would dare speculate on who is accepted and who is rejected. That is the divine providence of God Himself, and I shutter to think about usurping His wisdom on that matter.
 
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OrthodoxBerean:
Is it possible for a pope to end up in h*ll? I am assuming that this can be since the papal office only gaurantees that when he speaks on faith and morals that he will do so infallably, but this does not make him logically impeccable. Are there some popes that could historially “qualify” for such a position? If not…ok. If so which ones?

(Ofcourse just speculation, not judgement)
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Well, i’m really too concerned about myself ending up there to worry about any pope being my room mate. There certainly are more important things to worry or “speculate” about. The ONLY reason I can think of discussing this would be to bring discredit upon the Church. Why would you want to do that?
 
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Tom:
The ONLY reason I can think of discussing this would be to bring discredit upon the Church. Why would you want to do that?
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I disagree. I think that just as we should promote role models of faith, we should also point out the failures so as to avoid those pitfalls ourselves. Everyone can be an example, either good or bad.
 
I suppose Alexander VI would be the most obvious candidate for Hell.

Or maybe John XII, who died in the arms of his mistress . . .
 
Do a google search on the word “borjas” and “pope”

Maybe you could subsitute Borjas with Borgias
 
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Tom:
Well, i’m really too concerned about myself ending up there to worry about any pope being my room mate. There certainly are more important things to worry or “speculate” about. The ONLY reason I can think of discussing this would be to bring discredit upon the Church. Why would you want to do that?
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Well, I defintely do not want to discredit the Church. So there must be another reason. I agree that we are to all work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. I was asking this as a historical gesture not really to cast doubt upon the Church in any way. Obvoiusly it can be true that the Church is what she is and a pope not be impeccable at the same time. So to show that one is a potential candidate would not discredit the Church.

I think specualting about this type of thing can keep us histoically honest especially when we are trying to offer an apologetic to our friends and family. When a person is not intellectucally or historicall honest it seems to take away their effectiveness to talk with others. If another finds out that a person was trying to “hide” something that would give them reason to doubt the persons integrity and sincerity for the Truth that they are desiring the other person to have.
 
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beng:
Yes

St John Chrysostom:
“the road to hell is paved with the bones of priests and lined with the skulls of bishops.”
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Where is this reference from?
 
The church only officially teaches on those who are in Heaven… she never states who is in Hell…not even Adolf Hitler… though one can safely research the way one lived their life and how they died, and make an “educated guess” of where they wound up…but even then…its just a guess. I have a feeling though, that where it concerns priests, nuns, religious, Popes, who do end up in Hell…its probably the most severe of the various levels and torments a human soul can endure there…given with the mission they were charged with while alive…SAVING (US) FROM HELL!
 
You know, its funny you bring this topic up.

Yesterday, the Church celebrated the feast of Saint Celestine V.

Dante places this pope at the entrance of hell, claiming he was damned for having abdicated his papacy so he could return to the monastic life.
 
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DominvsVobiscvm:
Dante places this pope at the entrance of hell, claiming he was damned for having abdicated his papacy so he could return to the monastic life.
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Ah, but Dante was a writer, not a theologian.
 
Ah, but Dante was a writer, not a theologian.
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I know; just thought I’d bring it up as an interesting and related piece of trivia.

I’m aware of the fact that there are not a few churches in Italy that have frescoes depicting popes burning in Hell. Though this may say something more of Italian Catholic cynicism than it does authentic Church teaching . . .

(My parents are from Sicily; and both are fallen-away Catholics . . .)
 
The book “Triumph” does not say any pope went to hell, but, it does give some likely candidates.
 
I personally doubt the veracity of the quote. Putting it through a google search engine fails to turn up a source. At least one site attributes it to Saint John of the Cross!

Either way, I think the gist of it is true. At least we know the US bishops will be contributing something to God’s plan . . .
 
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