We ask you, urgently: don't scroll past this
Dear readers, Catholic Online was de-platformed by Shopify for our pro-life beliefs. They shut down our Catholic Online, Catholic Online School, Prayer Candles, and Catholic Online Learning Resources essential faith tools serving over 1.4 million students and millions of families worldwide. Our founders, now in their 70's, just gave their entire life savings to protect this mission. But fewer than 2% of readers donate. If everyone gave just $5, the cost of a coffee, we could rebuild stronger and keep Catholic education free for all. Stand with us in faith. Thank you.Help Now >
Formosus
Facts
Death: 896
Author and Publisher - Catholic Online
Printable Catholic Saints PDFs
Shop Formosus

Formosus Formosus was a mysteriously controversial pope. Born c. 815/816, probably in Rome, he become bishop of Porto in 864. King Boris of Bulgaria was so impressed with the bishop that he twice requested Formosus be made metropolitan of Bulgaria. Popes Nicholas I and Adrian II refused to move a bishop from one see to another. Formosus served as papal legate to France and Germany, and in 869, he was a member of the synod that deposed Patriarch Photios of Constantinople. In 875, Pope John VIII sent Formosus to offer the crown of the Holy Roman Empire to Charles II the Bald; the following year, John excommunicated Formosus, whom he accused of treason. John readmitted Formosus to lay communion in 878 on the condition that Formosus stay in exile. Pope Marinus I restored Formosus to the see of Porto. Formosus was elected pope in 891, and after crowning Guido III of Spoleto and his son Lambert co-emperors the next year, the pope appealed to Arnulf, king of the East Franks, to free Rome from the tyranny of its co-emperors. Arnulf was successful, and Formosus crowned him emperor in 896, the year that Formosus died. Six months after the death of his predecessor, Stephen VI had Formosus' corpse brought to trial for capital crimes. When the synod found the dead pope guilty, Stephen had the cadaver stripped of its papal vestments and removed the fingers with which the pope had blessed. Formosus' body was then dragged through the streets of Rome and was eventually thrown into the Tiber. The body was reinterred in 897. Although Sergius III confirmed the decision of the Cadaver Synod nearly ten years later, Pope John XI reinstated the disgraced Formosus about 40 years after his posthumous deposition.
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
- Easter / Lent
- Ascension Day
- 7 Morning Prayers
- Mysteries of the Rosary
- Litany of the Bl. Virgin Mary
- Popular Saints
- Popular Prayers
- Female Saints
- Saint Feast Days by Month
- Stations of the Cross
- St. Francis of Assisi
- St. Michael the Archangel
- The Apostles' Creed
- Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony
- Pray the Rosary

God’s Wrath Is Falling on the Democratic Party – And Rightfully So

Corpus Christi: This is My Body, Given Up for You

Federal Appeals Court Upholds Trump’s Authority to Deploy National Guard in Los Angeles
Daily Catholic
Daily Readings for Sunday, June 22, 2025
St. Thomas More: Saint of the Day for Sunday, June 22, 2025
Prayer to Live as a Child of God: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, June 22, 2025
Daily Readings for Saturday, June 21, 2025
St. Aloysius Gonzaga: Saint of the Day for Saturday, June 21, 2025
- Prayer for a Happy Death: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, June 21, 2025
Copyright 2025 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2025 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.