ON THE POPES FROM THE CHRONICLE
A Formosus was first bishop of Portus, and later became Pope, holding the throne for five years and six months. Upon his death, the Church remained vacant for a considerable number of days. This man renewed with paintings the entire church of the blessed Peter, the chief of the apostles. At one time, fearing Pope John, he fled and abandoned the bishopric of Portus; and when he was ordered to return and refused, he was anathematized. But later, having gone to Gaul to the Pope, he was demoted by his tribunal to the order of the laity. Furthermore, he swore never to enter Rome, nor to return to his own bishopric. But later, obtaining the opposite of his former oath from Marinus, the successor of John, he not only returned to Rome, but even received the supreme pontificate of Rome itself: therefore, upon his death, a great tumult arose, as will be shown in the following.
Pope Boniface reigned for 15 days; he was a Tuscan by birth.
His successor was Stephen; he held the supreme pontificate for one year and three months. Upon his death, the Church remained vacant for three days; he was Roman by birth. He had been ordained bishop of the city of Anagni by Pope Formosus, and he persecuted Pope Formosus and B decreed that all the dignities instituted by him should be removed. It is also related in writing that he had the body of Formosus, lying in the council, stripped of its pontifical robes and dressed in lay attire, and after cutting off the two fingers of his right hand, ordered it to be cast into the river.
Pope Theodore, a Roman by birth; holding contrary views to Pope Stephen, he restored all the dignities created by Formosus.
Pope John held the throne for two years and five days. He waged war against the Romans; and to make the restoration of the dignities from Formosus more secure, he assembled a synod of 74 bishops in the city of Ravenna, where he condemned the synod which Pope Stephen had held against Formosus.
A Pope Benedict, a Roman by birth, held the pontificate for three years and two months; and after his death, the Church of the Romans was vacant for six days. Leo reigned for forty days; and after these days, his priest, Christopher, removed him from his dignity and cast him into prison, and thus seized the chair. But he too, after seven months of rule, was driven from the throne by Sergius and delivered into prison. Christopher [reigned] for seven months; but he, having been driven from the throne as has been said, became a monk.
Sergius, who deposed Christopher, governs the Church for seven years, three months, and twenty-six days; and the throne was vacant for twenty-five days. In his time, the Church of the Lateran was destroyed, which the said Pope rebuilt entirely from the foundations. This Sergius, having formerly been a deacon and an illustrious man, was rebuffed by Formosus in his attempt to obtain the Roman pontificate, when he himself took his place. After the death of the latter, while Christopher was occupying the throne, he withdrew to the Franks, and strengthened by their help and having seized the throne, he cast the living Christopher from the throne and shut him in prison; and avenging himself upon Formosus—already dead—for the ancient subversion, and condemning him for his own expulsion, he drew Formosus from his tomb, and ordered him, while dressed in pontifical vestments in the pontifical chair, to be beheaded and thrown into the Tiber, and all the ranks established by him to be removed. It is said, however, that not long after, Formosus was found by fishermen and placed in the church of blessed Peter, and that images of certain saints were seen B worshipping him and addressing him with honor, and that this happened in the presence of many.
After Sergius, Anastasius ascends to the high pontificate; a Roman by birth, he rules the Church for two years and two months, then dies; and the throne is also vacant for six days.
After Anastasius, Lando, a Roman by birth, becomes pope for six months; and the Church is vacant for twenty-six days.
After him, John holds the high pontificate for thirteen years, two months, and three days. He was the son of Pope Sergius and bishop of Ravenna; but as he was a usurper of this Church, he was cast out by the entire populace of Ravenna. C By his counsel and aid, the Saracens who were occupying Italy near Rome were defeated. Then Pope John himself, with the Marquess Alberic, entering into Apulia against the Saracens near the Garigliano, and joining battle with the Saracens, defeated them again with full force. Afterward, returning to Rome, they were received by all the people in joy and honor; but later, a discord arising between them, the Marquess was expelled from the city, and having seized a castle named Orta, he held himself there, and sent envoys to the Hungarians that they might come and possess the lands of the Romans; who