Was Leo VIII true pope or antipope? For a long time he was
considered by many historians as only antipope. But the latest revision of the
list of popes in the "Annuario Pontificio" includes Leo VIII. This might seem to
indicate that the more or less official opinion is that Benedict actually did
agree to his deposition and that Leo's position was regularized by the consent
of the Roman clergy.
Leo was a Roman of well-known family. A lay official of the
papal court, he had taken part in the council which had deposed John XII. He was
then chosen to succeed John. This was highly irregular, not only because the
council had no right to depose the pope, but because Leo was a layman. The
bishop of Ostia hurried through the necessary ordinations without the customary
intervals. Elected as a layman on December 4, Leo was consecrated bishop on
December 6. Leo was quite unpopular with the Romans, who regarded him as an
imperial tool. Shortly after his consecration Otto sent a part of his army
north. At once the Romans revolted. Otto's remaining warriors sallied into the
streets and wrought havoc on the poor Romans. Realizing how much his hold on
Rome depended on brute strength, Otto took a hundred hostages from Roman
families. Leo. with more good nature than shrewdness, urged Otto to release
them. The result was that when Otto went north the Romans soon sent Leo packing
and welcomed John XII back to the Lateran. After John's death in 964 the Romans
still refused to accept Leo, but when Otto's army forced them to surrender,
Leo's moment of triumph arrived. Entering the city in the train
of the victorious Otto, Leo was able to summon a council and have Benedict V
brought before him. Liutprand had described the scene. Assembled in the Lateran
Basilica were the Pope, the Emperor, and a number of bishops. Benedict, clad in
the pontifical robes, stood before them. After admitting his fault, Benedict
took off the pallium and handed it to Leo. Leo then removed the chasuble and
stole from Benedict and declared that he was reduced to the rank of deacon.
Since Benedict seems to have consented to his deposition, Leo may be regarded as
true pope from July 964. Leo was said to have repaid his imperial maker by
giving him extraordinary privileges and indeed by surrendering to the Emperor
the lands donated by Pippin and Charlemagne. But these concessions and gifts
were only forgeries cooked up in the bitter days of the lay-investiture
struggle.
Leo VIII died in March 965.
Excerpted from "Popes
Through the Ages" by Joseph Brusher, S.J.
