The UK Daily Mail reports that Pope John Paul’s last will and testament indicated that in the year 2000 he was tormented over whether he should resign after leading the Roman Catholic Church into the new millennium.
The will is supposed to be made public today. It directs that all his personal notes be burned.
It directs that all his personal notes be burned.
His entire “There once was a pope from Krakow” limerick collection!? Nooooooooo!!!
There have been a few Popes who abdicated, and a few more who were ousted by force.
And three claimants to the papacy — all three claimed to be actual Popes, duly elected in Conclave by the College of Cardinals — were ousted by a Church council called to put an end to the bickering and elect a brand new, uncontested Pope.
And let’s not get into the murders and outright assassinations…
In 2,000 years of continuous operation, an institution like the papacy is going to see everything.