A Profligate. Indicted for Incest, etc.
In the year 956, Octavian, a youth only eighteen years of age, the son of Alberic, Duke of Tuscany, the husband of Marozia, succeeded, through the influence of his faction, in having himself raised to the papal throne. The custom, now common with popes, of changing their baptismal name upon their accession, into one more ecclesiastical in form, was first introduced by John XII. 'His pontificate lasted till the year 964. Though young in years, this unworthy occupant of the papal chair was old in profligacy, and brought disgrace upon his exalted office by his many vices and shameful excesses. . . When (King) Otho was informed, upon the authority of the leading citizens of Rome, that John XII. was stained with the guilt of immorality, simony, and other vices equally heinous, he dismissed the charges with the remark: " He is still young, and may, with the example of good men before him, and under the influence of their counsel, grow better as he grows older." (Otho, while at Pavia, learned of treacherous conduct on the part of Pope John XII. towards him and) he set out for Rome, where he arrived November 2, A. D. 962; but John and (Prince) Adelbert, not daring to await his coming, had already fled, taking with them the treasure of St. Peter's Church. The Romans took the oath of fealty to Otho. . . He (Otho) convoked (A. D. 963) a synod to meet in St. Peter's Church, at which forty bishops and sixteen cardinals were present, for the purpose of deposing the Pope. . . This so-called Synod indicted the Pope on the charges of incest, perjury, blasphemy, murder, and others equally enormous.
This synod deposed Pope John XII., and elected Leo, a layman, who was called Pope Leo VIII., to the pontificate. Later, John XII. returned to Rome, and drove out the antipope, assembled a synod, declared the acts of the synod called by Otho null and of no effect, deposed and excommunicated Leo, and pronounced his ordination invalid.
No sooner had John gained this triumph over his enemies lhan he again went back to his former licentious habits and unseemly excesses. But though God may" tolerate such things for a time, His vengeance usually overtakes one in the end. John was suddenly stricken down with cerebral apoplexy, and died, at the end of eight days, without being able to receive the Holy Viaticum.
SOURCE: — Dr. Akog's Manual of Universal Church History, Vol. II., pp. 297, 298, 303, 304, 305.
Romanism a menace to the nation
By Jeremiah J. Crowley
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