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Saints And Sinners: A History of the Popes
This engrossing book encompasses the extraordinary history of the papacy, from its beginnings nearly two thousand years ago to the present day. In this new edition, the final chapter has been expanded to cover the last years of John Paul II and the election of Benedict XVI.
"[A] minor masterpiece which is everything good, popular history ought to be. . . . The most comprehensive single-volume history of the popes in print." -—John Adamson, Sunday Telegraph
"Duffy enlivens the long march through church history with anecdotes that bring the different pontiffs to life. . . . Saints and Sinners is a remarkable achievement." -—Piers Paul Read, The Times (London)
"Will fascinate anyone wishing to better understand the history of the Catholic Church and the forces that have shaped the role of the papacy." -—Gloria J. Tysl, Christian Century
"A distinguished text... offering plenty of historical facts and sobering, valuable judgments." --Henry Chadwick, New York Times Book Review
Eamon Duffy, professor of the history of Christianity, and fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge, is also the author of The Stripping of the Altars: Traditional Religion in England, 1400-1580 and The Voices of Morebath, both published by Yale University Press.
474 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
212 people are currently reading
1227 people want to read
About the author
Eamon Duffy
54 books88 followersEamon Duffy is Professor of the History of Christianity at the University of Cambridge, and former President of Magdalene College.
He describes himself as a "cradle Catholic" and specializes in 15th to 17th century religious history of Britain. His work has done much to overturn the popular image of late-medieval Catholicism in England as moribund, and instead presents it as a vibrant cultural force. On weekdays from 22nd October to 2nd November 2007, he presented the BBC Radio 4 series "10 Popes Who Shook the World" - those popes featured were Peter, Leo I, Gregory I, Gregory VII, Innocent III, Paul III, Pius IX, Pius XII, John XXIII, and John Paul II.
He describes himself as a "cradle Catholic" and specializes in 15th to 17th century religious history of Britain. His work has done much to overturn the popular image of late-medieval Catholicism in England as moribund, and instead presents it as a vibrant cultural force. On weekdays from 22nd October to 2nd November 2007, he presented the BBC Radio 4 series "10 Popes Who Shook the World" - those popes featured were Peter, Leo I, Gregory I, Gregory VII, Innocent III, Paul III, Pius IX, Pius XII, John XXIII, and John Paul II.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
January 1, 2017
Published in 1997 this work concludes during the pontificate of John Paul II. In general it is an excellent introduction to the popes, and provides good coverage of both the good and the bad among them. Overall, however, the author tends to take a conciliatory approach to the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church. While it provides pertinent insights into the politics of the times for each pope, 'bad' actions tend to be framed, usually, within the political shenanigans of their periods, and thus one tends to be forgiving if their actions do not sit well with our modern sensibilities.
Other authors (and their numbers are increasing as more information is dug up or becomes available) are far less forgiving. The reality that for many, many centuries the papacy was a not-so-very-spiritual political power which tended to defend its position of authority with totalitarian efficiency and complete mercilessness against its real or imagined enemies in decidedly un-Christian ways, tends to remove the shine that apologetic Christian historians have added to the history of the papacy.
Duffy's work is somewhere in between; yet by being basically 'honest' to the story, the final effect is one of 'as a rule they did their best'. For an organisation purporting to represent Christ on earth, if you read between the lines, it seems obvious to me that this 'best' is simply not good enough.
Other authors (and their numbers are increasing as more information is dug up or becomes available) are far less forgiving. The reality that for many, many centuries the papacy was a not-so-very-spiritual political power which tended to defend its position of authority with totalitarian efficiency and complete mercilessness against its real or imagined enemies in decidedly un-Christian ways, tends to remove the shine that apologetic Christian historians have added to the history of the papacy.
Duffy's work is somewhere in between; yet by being basically 'honest' to the story, the final effect is one of 'as a rule they did their best'. For an organisation purporting to represent Christ on earth, if you read between the lines, it seems obvious to me that this 'best' is simply not good enough.
August 20, 2012
A really solid and enjoyable introduction to the history of the papacy. Eamon Duffy bravely covers the whole thing, stretching from the hints about Peter we can glean from the New Testament all the way to the election and early days of Benedict XVI. Since he only has about 400 pages this is inevitably going to lead to some simplification and a sometime unfortunate lack of surrounding context(especially in the pre-Reformation papacy), but overall I think he does a nice job of making the subject accessible to a non-expert without sacrificing historical accuracy. He's got a good gift for narrative.
I also think Duffy is pretty fair in his overall assessment. He openly acknowledges the moral failings of many popes (which make for some fun stories) but he also always considers them in their historical context and recognizes that for all its failings, the papacy had a lot of good things to offer as well. It's a nice middle ground, especially when so much modern dialogue about the papacy focuses on either talking about how terrible it is or about how glorious and infallible it is.
Duffy does an especially good job in his coverage of the papacy over the past two centuries: you get a good look at how its been fluctuating back and forth in a struggle to define precisely how it ought to operate in a world that changed quite a bit faster than it did, and it's absolutely fascinating.
I also think Duffy is pretty fair in his overall assessment. He openly acknowledges the moral failings of many popes (which make for some fun stories) but he also always considers them in their historical context and recognizes that for all its failings, the papacy had a lot of good things to offer as well. It's a nice middle ground, especially when so much modern dialogue about the papacy focuses on either talking about how terrible it is or about how glorious and infallible it is.
Duffy does an especially good job in his coverage of the papacy over the past two centuries: you get a good look at how its been fluctuating back and forth in a struggle to define precisely how it ought to operate in a world that changed quite a bit faster than it did, and it's absolutely fascinating.
September 29, 2017
Crisis in Christendom
Pope is the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics who form a major part of 2.2 billion Christians. The pontiff symbolizes the rule of God himself over hearts and minds of the faithful. Their words weigh in the halls of power, and in the bedrooms of the followers. The papacy is the oldest as well as the most influential of all human institutions. They determined the fate of yet to be discovered world between colonial powers in the name of peace, and they plunged nations and continents into war. Historical studies of the Vatican through the years have reflected on greed, sex, wealth, power, and world domination. Papal history though the past 1900 years illuminate on the corrupt election process in the Vatican. Politics, cronyism, favoritism and influence of money thrust one improbable candidate after another into the position of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction as the Holy See and the successor of Apostle St. Peter.
In Chapter Three, entitled “Set above Nations” the author discusses attempts by some leaders to reform the church but the popes themselves were deeply embroiled in the internecine dynastic warfare of the Roman nobility. The election to the chair of Apostle Peter was frequently a commodity for sale or barter. New bishops were required to pay large sums of money to the ruler who had nominated them. At the opening of the eleventh century the papacy was a contradictory mixture of exalted theory and squalid reality. In theory the bishops of Rome were lords of the world, exercising a unique spiritual supremacy symbolized by their exclusive right to anoint the western or 'Holy Roman' Emperor. In practice, the popes were subordinated to the power of the local Roman aristocracy or to the German ruling house. This struggle progressively helped the Holy Father to gain upper hand in European politics. The Roman Catholic Church encouraged catholicization of the new colonies often using brute force. Native Americans and other populations across the globe were subjected to pressure and heavy-handedness to abandon their own culture, beliefs and practices. In this regard, the British, Spanish and Portuguese invaders promoted Christianism in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The resistance to Biblical influence from smaller sects within Europe was met with brutal wars and tragic ends to their leaders and followers. The church orchestrated genocide of Cathars, an ascetic sect of France who believed that God and the Devil shared the world. But in the year 1231 C.E many were subjected to horrific tortures and burned on the stake including thousands of supposed witches, wizards, and sorcerers. The Knights Templar had a distinguished record of service to Christendom but fell under suspicion of the church and many leaders were burnt alive.
After massacring the entire population in the Italian town of Palestrina, Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) indulged in ménages with a married woman and her daughter and became renowned through Rome as a shameless pedophile. He famously declared that having sex with young boys was no more a sin than rubbing one hand against the other. Pope Innocent VIII (1484-92) is remembered as the Golden Age of Bastards: He acknowledged eight illegitimate sons and was known to have many more. On his death bed, he ordered a comely wet nurse to supply him with milk fresh from her breast. The romantic Pope Julius III (1550-55) fell in love with a handsome young man and appointed this illiterate 17-year-old kid as a cardinal, inspiring an epic poem, “In Praise of Sodomy.” When Pope Sixtus III (432-40) went on trial for seducing a nun. He was acquitted after quoting from Christ in his defense: “Let you who are without sin cast the first stone.” Pope Sergius III (904-11) auctioned off top Vatican jobs like baubles and gewgaw. The 16-year-old Pope John XII (955-64) had incestual relationship with his two sisters was killed at the age of 27 by a jealous husband when the Pope was found in bed with his wife. Pope John X had no principles in his diplomatic, political or private conduct. He spurned his mistress Theodora who helped him to the pontification and enticed the charming young daughter of Hugh of Provence into his papal bedroom. Spurned, Theodora then married Guido, Marquis of Tuscany, and together they carried out a coup d'état against Pope John X. Soon after this Theodora died suddenly by suspected poisoning. Pope John X entered into a bitter quarrel with Theodora’s daughter Marozia, Marozia led a group of nobles and drove Pope John X and his troops out of the city. The next bishop of Rome was Pope John XI, the son of Marozia, was also a true debauchee and incestuous Satanist who liked to dance with scantily clad women who looked similar to his mother Marozia. The two voluptuous Imperial women, Theodora and her daughter Marozia, "ruled the papacy of the tenth century" as the renowned Vatican historian Cardinal Caesar Baronius (1538—1607) called it the "Rule of the Whores."
Pope is the spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics who form a major part of 2.2 billion Christians. The pontiff symbolizes the rule of God himself over hearts and minds of the faithful. Their words weigh in the halls of power, and in the bedrooms of the followers. The papacy is the oldest as well as the most influential of all human institutions. They determined the fate of yet to be discovered world between colonial powers in the name of peace, and they plunged nations and continents into war. Historical studies of the Vatican through the years have reflected on greed, sex, wealth, power, and world domination. Papal history though the past 1900 years illuminate on the corrupt election process in the Vatican. Politics, cronyism, favoritism and influence of money thrust one improbable candidate after another into the position of the ecclesiastical jurisdiction as the Holy See and the successor of Apostle St. Peter.
In Chapter Three, entitled “Set above Nations” the author discusses attempts by some leaders to reform the church but the popes themselves were deeply embroiled in the internecine dynastic warfare of the Roman nobility. The election to the chair of Apostle Peter was frequently a commodity for sale or barter. New bishops were required to pay large sums of money to the ruler who had nominated them. At the opening of the eleventh century the papacy was a contradictory mixture of exalted theory and squalid reality. In theory the bishops of Rome were lords of the world, exercising a unique spiritual supremacy symbolized by their exclusive right to anoint the western or 'Holy Roman' Emperor. In practice, the popes were subordinated to the power of the local Roman aristocracy or to the German ruling house. This struggle progressively helped the Holy Father to gain upper hand in European politics. The Roman Catholic Church encouraged catholicization of the new colonies often using brute force. Native Americans and other populations across the globe were subjected to pressure and heavy-handedness to abandon their own culture, beliefs and practices. In this regard, the British, Spanish and Portuguese invaders promoted Christianism in Africa, Asia and the Americas. The resistance to Biblical influence from smaller sects within Europe was met with brutal wars and tragic ends to their leaders and followers. The church orchestrated genocide of Cathars, an ascetic sect of France who believed that God and the Devil shared the world. But in the year 1231 C.E many were subjected to horrific tortures and burned on the stake including thousands of supposed witches, wizards, and sorcerers. The Knights Templar had a distinguished record of service to Christendom but fell under suspicion of the church and many leaders were burnt alive.
After massacring the entire population in the Italian town of Palestrina, Pope Boniface VIII (1294-1303) indulged in ménages with a married woman and her daughter and became renowned through Rome as a shameless pedophile. He famously declared that having sex with young boys was no more a sin than rubbing one hand against the other. Pope Innocent VIII (1484-92) is remembered as the Golden Age of Bastards: He acknowledged eight illegitimate sons and was known to have many more. On his death bed, he ordered a comely wet nurse to supply him with milk fresh from her breast. The romantic Pope Julius III (1550-55) fell in love with a handsome young man and appointed this illiterate 17-year-old kid as a cardinal, inspiring an epic poem, “In Praise of Sodomy.” When Pope Sixtus III (432-40) went on trial for seducing a nun. He was acquitted after quoting from Christ in his defense: “Let you who are without sin cast the first stone.” Pope Sergius III (904-11) auctioned off top Vatican jobs like baubles and gewgaw. The 16-year-old Pope John XII (955-64) had incestual relationship with his two sisters was killed at the age of 27 by a jealous husband when the Pope was found in bed with his wife. Pope John X had no principles in his diplomatic, political or private conduct. He spurned his mistress Theodora who helped him to the pontification and enticed the charming young daughter of Hugh of Provence into his papal bedroom. Spurned, Theodora then married Guido, Marquis of Tuscany, and together they carried out a coup d'état against Pope John X. Soon after this Theodora died suddenly by suspected poisoning. Pope John X entered into a bitter quarrel with Theodora’s daughter Marozia, Marozia led a group of nobles and drove Pope John X and his troops out of the city. The next bishop of Rome was Pope John XI, the son of Marozia, was also a true debauchee and incestuous Satanist who liked to dance with scantily clad women who looked similar to his mother Marozia. The two voluptuous Imperial women, Theodora and her daughter Marozia, "ruled the papacy of the tenth century" as the renowned Vatican historian Cardinal Caesar Baronius (1538—1607) called it the "Rule of the Whores."
November 19, 2013
There are several good reviews of Duffy's book already on Goodreads, so I'll not beat the proverbially dead horse here. I will say, however, that Duffy's book--at least the first 380 or so pages of it, is a triumph of historical research and concise writing. I learned more in reading Duffy's book that I had in several other books combined. Is he absolutely perfect? No. But it is a 400 page book attempting to relate 2000 years of one city's episcopal history.
Duffy qua historian is brilliant. He deftly moves from pope to pope, actually categorizing the papal administrations so as to emphasize themes among them (since he couldn't actually write about each and every pope). He lands upon the most important, history altering men and their associates, spending time on, for example, the Greats (Gregory and Leo), Leo IX (who helped to initiate the Gregorian Reformation), Gregory VII, Paul III, and the Pius popes, VI-XII, offering sometimes a dozen pages on that particular pope's personality, teachings, and actions, given their far-reaching effects. I particularly enjoyed the touch of the human element that Duffey is able to provide: Pio Nono, for example, had quite the sense of humor. Duffy relates that he once acquiesced to a group of Anglican priests who requested a blessing by saying over them the words for the sanctification of incense: May you be blessed by Him in Whose honor you are to be burned! In fact, this may be the best part of Duffy's work: he reminds his readers that the popes were men. They had histories, they had families, they weren't perfect, and even if some were despicable (Alexander VI, anyone?), most wanted to be at least good men, if not holy men. (Paul III comes to mind here--he whose clerical career began when his sister became one of Alexander VI's mistresses, who fathered children himself, but who actually underwent a conversion while a cardinal. Paul may never be canonized, and he may never have left his history too far in the past, but it seems clear from Duffy that he at least tried.)
I agree with other reviewers regarding the final twenty or so pages of Duffy's text: the closer we come to today, the more biased Duffy gets. His bias disallows him to see some of the theological complexities of the more recent papal reigns (the book ends with the election of Benedict XVI), and I think his confusion is evident in his treatment of John Paul II, whom he can't seem to settle upon adoring or demonizing (a sure sign that Wojtya did well!).
Of the various histories I have read, this is far and away the most readable while maintaining a true sense of history-craft. No book is perfect, but I think if you're looking for a (one volume) history of the popes, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one than Duffy's. If you do find one, let me know.
Duffy qua historian is brilliant. He deftly moves from pope to pope, actually categorizing the papal administrations so as to emphasize themes among them (since he couldn't actually write about each and every pope). He lands upon the most important, history altering men and their associates, spending time on, for example, the Greats (Gregory and Leo), Leo IX (who helped to initiate the Gregorian Reformation), Gregory VII, Paul III, and the Pius popes, VI-XII, offering sometimes a dozen pages on that particular pope's personality, teachings, and actions, given their far-reaching effects. I particularly enjoyed the touch of the human element that Duffey is able to provide: Pio Nono, for example, had quite the sense of humor. Duffy relates that he once acquiesced to a group of Anglican priests who requested a blessing by saying over them the words for the sanctification of incense: May you be blessed by Him in Whose honor you are to be burned! In fact, this may be the best part of Duffy's work: he reminds his readers that the popes were men. They had histories, they had families, they weren't perfect, and even if some were despicable (Alexander VI, anyone?), most wanted to be at least good men, if not holy men. (Paul III comes to mind here--he whose clerical career began when his sister became one of Alexander VI's mistresses, who fathered children himself, but who actually underwent a conversion while a cardinal. Paul may never be canonized, and he may never have left his history too far in the past, but it seems clear from Duffy that he at least tried.)
I agree with other reviewers regarding the final twenty or so pages of Duffy's text: the closer we come to today, the more biased Duffy gets. His bias disallows him to see some of the theological complexities of the more recent papal reigns (the book ends with the election of Benedict XVI), and I think his confusion is evident in his treatment of John Paul II, whom he can't seem to settle upon adoring or demonizing (a sure sign that Wojtya did well!).
Of the various histories I have read, this is far and away the most readable while maintaining a true sense of history-craft. No book is perfect, but I think if you're looking for a (one volume) history of the popes, you'd be hard pressed to find a better one than Duffy's. If you do find one, let me know.
January 17, 2016
If you are expecting scandalous gossip because of the title look elsewhere. This is a pretty dry history and it has taken me years to read. To be fair it is 2000 years of the Roman Catholic Church summarised in 300 pages and overall I think the author has done a reasonable job. The problem for those looking for inspiration from church leaders and their heroic beliefs and actions is that it largely isn't here. This is about politics, political alliances, holding ground, administrations and the rise and fall of dynasties. At no time did I feel that I would rush to find more about any one Pope mentioned here.
February 26, 2014
I guess I expected this to be way more gossipy than it is. This is real history. That's good...right? Is it bad that I was hoping for a trashy history of the popes? Is it my fault it's titled like a pulp fiction novel from the 50s?
It seems very detailed, but considering how much history it covers, it goes pretty fast. It's just really, really hard to keep straight.
It seems very detailed, but considering how much history it covers, it goes pretty fast. It's just really, really hard to keep straight.
November 10, 2024
Very thorough work, although I only read the piece about the popes in modern times.
November 18, 2017
Good day all well i faith this is a spendid story through vicar of christ god bless really have it good.
Read
January 23, 2025loved Conclave so much I felt compelled to dig into the Lore. at about page 250, as Pope Pius IV was overseeing the final sessions of the council of Trent, I had a horrible realization: I do not care about the popes. movie magic and the incredible cinematography of Stéphane Fontaine had duped me into thinking I found the institution interesting. in the cold, clear light of day it became obvious that I do not. but I was already more than halfway through the book so I figured I might as well finish it
February 1, 2024
I was surprised by how big this book was, as in A4 Textbook sort of size. The early years are mostly skipped over in a few dozen pages and the book definitely spends more time in the modern era, several pages are dedicated to Napoleon's relationship with the Pope but oddly the book just assumes you know enough about the French Revolution to understand why once paragraph is talking about Louie XIV and the next about the assembly and that sort of highlights the problem is the massive amount of history that has to be condensed and skipped by when the Church had its tentacles into so many aspects of European life. The text states "The history of the papacy is therefore the history of one of the most momentous and extraordinary institutions in the history of the world. It has touched human society and culture at every point." and so maybe leaving out mentions of things like Alfred the Great starting a rumour he was annointed in Rome for cache fall by the wayside (although Alcuin is mentioned twice).
The introduction also says "For all its the and sins, and despite its recurring commitment to the repression of 'error', the papacy does seem to me to have been on balance a force for human freedom, and largeness of spirit." Which I really don't think is borne out by the text, the papacy seems an odd institution which from the beginning is unsure of its origins, justifications or powers and whilst reading I was surprised how many of the traditions of the Church were new.
The book also bounces around in time a lot, loosely based around the issues that each pontiff dealt with so for papal infallibility the 519 decision comes in the middle of the 1300s, which can be a little confusing.
Choice Notes
"90 million look tot he pope as their spiritual leader." Doesnt seem like a lot. The catholic church claims 1.3 billion in a once youre baptised you're in kind of club.
the year 107, Ignatıus, Bishop of Antioch, declared that I do not command you,as Peter and Paul did,'a clear indication that he believed that the Apostles had been leaders of the Roman Church
From the year 258 a joint feast of Peter and Paul was celebrated at Rome on 29 June, a sign of the centrality of the two Apostles in the Roman church's self-awareness
Stephen in 257 was the first pope to derive his authority directly from Peter. Using the rock from Matthew 16
Pope Damasus' grass-roots supporters included squads of the notoriously hard-boiled Roman fossores, catacomb diggers, and they massacred 137 followers of the rival Pope Ursinus in street-fighting that ended in a bloody siege of what is now the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, that was how he was confirmed
Council of Novea discussed venerstion of images. There had been a latin mistranslation that justifed the adorstion of images Rather than their venerstion. Libri Carolini.
Pope Leo had the vatican walls built to defend against another sack. Creating the papal state.
Third of popes elected between 872 and 1012 died in suspicious circumstances.
"The reputation of the popes of the 'dark century' after the silencing of the Liber Pontificalis (pfficial record of Popes ) was low at the time, and has not improved with the years. Its symbol is the macabre cadaver synod' staged by Stephen VI in January 897, when he put on trial the mummified corpse of his hated predecessor but one, Pope Formosus. The corpse, dressed in pontifical vestments and propped up on a throne, was found guilty of perjury and other crimes, was
mutilated by having the fingers used in blessings hacked off, and was then tossed into the Tiber. Stephen himself was subsequently deposed by the disgusted Roman crowd, and strangled in prison
Yet not all t
In 1027 "The Pope, in the words of Louis Duchesne, was the high priest of office, one looked to him to be anything more, and many would have resented it if dispenser of benedictions, of privileges, and ofa anathem the popes had tried. All that, however, was about to change"
Cluny reforms started freedom of the Church From the State. Begun in Acquitaine in 909.
Leo IX sacked all bishops who did not confess to Simony, buying their officers. At the synod of Rhriemes
Many of the laity felt better if their priest was married as less likely to have affairs
Henry III of Germany disposed 3 popes but his son Henry IV was unable to dispose 1. Times had changed. He instead declared an antipope, invaded Rome and placed him on the throne.
Innocent III was to proclaim the pope as Vicar to Jesus, rather than of the See of Peter.
Boniface declared 1300 a jubilee, free forgiveness of sins, which enforces ecosystems 100,000 pilgrims to block the streets of Rome. He was also thought to have said sex with boys was no worse than rubbing one hand against the other and to not believe in heaven or hell
For most of the 1300s popes lived in Avingnon due to hostility in Rome.
Clement and Urban created a Papal schism for 39 years splitting European alligences. "Even the saints were split" modern catholic church has decided Urban was the real pope all along. Avingnon Pope vs Roman Pope. Cardinals decided to elect a new Pope but neither stepped down, leaving 3 Popes.
519 decided that Popes do not err, but only true Popes. And only when councilled correctly. Maybe.
1500s indulgences "place your penny on the from. The pearly gates open and in strolls Mum" advert.
Martin Luther went from "It is by faith not by works" that men get into heaven to "he who does not resist the papacy with all his heart cannot obtain eternal salvation"
Hadrian VI became the first pope to celebrate mass everyday, he failed to deal with Luther and stopped patronising art because it was "pagan" after he died in 1523 it would be 450 years before another non Italian would be elected pope.
Germans sacked Rome in 1527 when disgruntled soldiers who were in the Army of Charles occupied the city and started a massacre.
Counter Reformation, the Council of Trent, came a generation too late but codified a lot of Catholic dogma which opposed Lutherianism.
Cardinal Richelieu (of Three Musketeers famr) talking about serving the pope in spirit but not in matters of politics "we must kiss his feet but bind his hands". The Pope was unable to stop the war of catholic nations in the 30 years war.
Destruction of the Jesuit order demonstrates the lack of temporal power the popes had by 1773. Solely from pressures of kings.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus was viewed as "Cardiolatry"
Cheap printing in 1860s allowed the Pope to become a pop icon.
" The final vote on infalliblity took place on 18 July 1870. Fifty-seven members of the minority, including Dupanlou having fought the definition to the last. had left Rome the day before so as not to have vote agaınst a measure they now knew would go through an overwhelming majority. In the event, 533 bishops voted with the decree, only two agaınst. One of these Fitzgerald of Little Rock. When the Pope finally read out the decree aloud Fitzgerald knelt at the Pope's feet and cried Out, Modo credo, sancte Pater ("Now I believe, Holy Father). The voting and the solemn definition itself, proclaimed of St Peter's, and the Pope, took place in a devastating thunderstorm. Rain bucketed down on to the dome. Hostile commentators took the thunder as a portent God, they said, was angry."
"Loisy's book The Gospel and the Church was designed to defend the Catholic faith by demonstrating that the findings of radical biblical criticism dissolved traditional Protestant reliance on scripture alone, over against the tradition of the Church, and made impossible any naive biblical literalism. In the New
Testament, Loisy argued, we have a picture of Christ not as he actually was, as many Protestants imagined, but as he was understood within the early Church's tradition. There was therefore no getting behind the tradition of the Church to an unmediated Christ. We know him and can relate to him only through the developing life of the Church" a far cry from the Early Popes founding their basis on Matthew.
Papacy only denounced war crimes in WW2 and only in 1942 by condemning those who "doomed [others] ro slow extinction, sometimrs merely because of their race or descent"in 1952 they excommunicated anyone in a communist party...
1959 Council revolutionised the Catholic Church, allowing vernacular in mass, religious freedom for other religions.
The introduction also says "For all its the and sins, and despite its recurring commitment to the repression of 'error', the papacy does seem to me to have been on balance a force for human freedom, and largeness of spirit." Which I really don't think is borne out by the text, the papacy seems an odd institution which from the beginning is unsure of its origins, justifications or powers and whilst reading I was surprised how many of the traditions of the Church were new.
The book also bounces around in time a lot, loosely based around the issues that each pontiff dealt with so for papal infallibility the 519 decision comes in the middle of the 1300s, which can be a little confusing.
Choice Notes
"90 million look tot he pope as their spiritual leader." Doesnt seem like a lot. The catholic church claims 1.3 billion in a once youre baptised you're in kind of club.
the year 107, Ignatıus, Bishop of Antioch, declared that I do not command you,as Peter and Paul did,'a clear indication that he believed that the Apostles had been leaders of the Roman Church
From the year 258 a joint feast of Peter and Paul was celebrated at Rome on 29 June, a sign of the centrality of the two Apostles in the Roman church's self-awareness
Stephen in 257 was the first pope to derive his authority directly from Peter. Using the rock from Matthew 16
Pope Damasus' grass-roots supporters included squads of the notoriously hard-boiled Roman fossores, catacomb diggers, and they massacred 137 followers of the rival Pope Ursinus in street-fighting that ended in a bloody siege of what is now the church of Santa Maria Maggiore, that was how he was confirmed
Council of Novea discussed venerstion of images. There had been a latin mistranslation that justifed the adorstion of images Rather than their venerstion. Libri Carolini.
Pope Leo had the vatican walls built to defend against another sack. Creating the papal state.
Third of popes elected between 872 and 1012 died in suspicious circumstances.
"The reputation of the popes of the 'dark century' after the silencing of the Liber Pontificalis (pfficial record of Popes ) was low at the time, and has not improved with the years. Its symbol is the macabre cadaver synod' staged by Stephen VI in January 897, when he put on trial the mummified corpse of his hated predecessor but one, Pope Formosus. The corpse, dressed in pontifical vestments and propped up on a throne, was found guilty of perjury and other crimes, was
mutilated by having the fingers used in blessings hacked off, and was then tossed into the Tiber. Stephen himself was subsequently deposed by the disgusted Roman crowd, and strangled in prison
Yet not all t
In 1027 "The Pope, in the words of Louis Duchesne, was the high priest of office, one looked to him to be anything more, and many would have resented it if dispenser of benedictions, of privileges, and ofa anathem the popes had tried. All that, however, was about to change"
Cluny reforms started freedom of the Church From the State. Begun in Acquitaine in 909.
Leo IX sacked all bishops who did not confess to Simony, buying their officers. At the synod of Rhriemes
Many of the laity felt better if their priest was married as less likely to have affairs
Henry III of Germany disposed 3 popes but his son Henry IV was unable to dispose 1. Times had changed. He instead declared an antipope, invaded Rome and placed him on the throne.
Innocent III was to proclaim the pope as Vicar to Jesus, rather than of the See of Peter.
Boniface declared 1300 a jubilee, free forgiveness of sins, which enforces ecosystems 100,000 pilgrims to block the streets of Rome. He was also thought to have said sex with boys was no worse than rubbing one hand against the other and to not believe in heaven or hell
For most of the 1300s popes lived in Avingnon due to hostility in Rome.
Clement and Urban created a Papal schism for 39 years splitting European alligences. "Even the saints were split" modern catholic church has decided Urban was the real pope all along. Avingnon Pope vs Roman Pope. Cardinals decided to elect a new Pope but neither stepped down, leaving 3 Popes.
519 decided that Popes do not err, but only true Popes. And only when councilled correctly. Maybe.
1500s indulgences "place your penny on the from. The pearly gates open and in strolls Mum" advert.
Martin Luther went from "It is by faith not by works" that men get into heaven to "he who does not resist the papacy with all his heart cannot obtain eternal salvation"
Hadrian VI became the first pope to celebrate mass everyday, he failed to deal with Luther and stopped patronising art because it was "pagan" after he died in 1523 it would be 450 years before another non Italian would be elected pope.
Germans sacked Rome in 1527 when disgruntled soldiers who were in the Army of Charles occupied the city and started a massacre.
Counter Reformation, the Council of Trent, came a generation too late but codified a lot of Catholic dogma which opposed Lutherianism.
Cardinal Richelieu (of Three Musketeers famr) talking about serving the pope in spirit but not in matters of politics "we must kiss his feet but bind his hands". The Pope was unable to stop the war of catholic nations in the 30 years war.
Destruction of the Jesuit order demonstrates the lack of temporal power the popes had by 1773. Solely from pressures of kings.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus was viewed as "Cardiolatry"
Cheap printing in 1860s allowed the Pope to become a pop icon.
" The final vote on infalliblity took place on 18 July 1870. Fifty-seven members of the minority, including Dupanlou having fought the definition to the last. had left Rome the day before so as not to have vote agaınst a measure they now knew would go through an overwhelming majority. In the event, 533 bishops voted with the decree, only two agaınst. One of these Fitzgerald of Little Rock. When the Pope finally read out the decree aloud Fitzgerald knelt at the Pope's feet and cried Out, Modo credo, sancte Pater ("Now I believe, Holy Father). The voting and the solemn definition itself, proclaimed of St Peter's, and the Pope, took place in a devastating thunderstorm. Rain bucketed down on to the dome. Hostile commentators took the thunder as a portent God, they said, was angry."
"Loisy's book The Gospel and the Church was designed to defend the Catholic faith by demonstrating that the findings of radical biblical criticism dissolved traditional Protestant reliance on scripture alone, over against the tradition of the Church, and made impossible any naive biblical literalism. In the New
Testament, Loisy argued, we have a picture of Christ not as he actually was, as many Protestants imagined, but as he was understood within the early Church's tradition. There was therefore no getting behind the tradition of the Church to an unmediated Christ. We know him and can relate to him only through the developing life of the Church" a far cry from the Early Popes founding their basis on Matthew.
Papacy only denounced war crimes in WW2 and only in 1942 by condemning those who "doomed [others] ro slow extinction, sometimrs merely because of their race or descent"in 1952 they excommunicated anyone in a communist party...
1959 Council revolutionised the Catholic Church, allowing vernacular in mass, religious freedom for other religions.
May 12, 2025
Saggio molto interessante, che ripercorre la storia e l’evoluzione del papato nei secoli: da San Pietro e i primi cristiani, fino allo scisma d’Oriente, la riforma luterana e la controriforma cattolica, le guerre napoleoniche e il magistero pietrino moderno.
September 25, 2016
An excellent survey of the Popes through the ages. Duffy takes an unflinching look at the highs and lows, progress and regress, good and evil among the 261 (at the time of publication) Popes of the Roman Catholic Church.
Among the highlights from more recent history, are an examination of the character and diplomatic hesitancies of Pius XII that left him open to the long-debunked charges of not helping the Jews during WWII, despite massive documentation otherwise; and a section on John Paul II that goes into his personal magnetism and great political influence against repressive regimes, coupled with his attempts to roll back some of Paul VI's implementations of Vatican II.
This is not a book for those who think all Popes have been holy and perfect. It is for those interested in the real history of the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders.
Note: I understand a later edition is available, which includes the papacy of Benedict XVI and the election of Pope Francis. I will be watching for that on sale, just to read those newer sections.
Among the highlights from more recent history, are an examination of the character and diplomatic hesitancies of Pius XII that left him open to the long-debunked charges of not helping the Jews during WWII, despite massive documentation otherwise; and a section on John Paul II that goes into his personal magnetism and great political influence against repressive regimes, coupled with his attempts to roll back some of Paul VI's implementations of Vatican II.
This is not a book for those who think all Popes have been holy and perfect. It is for those interested in the real history of the Roman Catholic Church and its leaders.
Note: I understand a later edition is available, which includes the papacy of Benedict XVI and the election of Pope Francis. I will be watching for that on sale, just to read those newer sections.
July 23, 2008
This book is a good short history of the Popes - read in conjunction with the Concise History of the Catholic Church by Thomas Bokenkotter and you have a good history of the Church.
It tells the good and the bada and for the most part very fair in its writing.
It tells the good and the bada and for the most part very fair in its writing.
August 25, 2025
Eamon Duffy’s Saints and Sinners: A History of the Popes is an exceptionally engaging and illuminating exploration of the papacy, offering readers a nuanced view that transcends simple hero-or-villain narratives. Duffy’s scholarship is meticulous, yet his writing remains accessible, striking a rare balance between academic rigor and narrative readability. The book deftly navigates centuries of Church history, portraying popes as complex, often contradictory figures—some deeply pious and visionary, others flawed and politically driven.
What stands out is Duffy’s ability to humanize these historical figures without losing sight of the broader religious and cultural contexts in which they operated. He provides fascinating insights into how the papacy shaped and responded to societal changes, wars, and theological debates. The anecdotes and historical episodes are vivid, bringing distant centuries to life in a way that feels immediate and relevant.
Saints and Sinners challenges readers to reconsider preconceived notions about the popes, blending moral reflection with historical analysis. Duffy’s clarity, wit, and evident passion for his subject make this book not only informative but genuinely enjoyable. For anyone interested in Church history, leadership, or human complexity, this work is a compelling and rewarding read. It is a masterful synthesis of history and storytelling.
Damian North.
Author
What stands out is Duffy’s ability to humanize these historical figures without losing sight of the broader religious and cultural contexts in which they operated. He provides fascinating insights into how the papacy shaped and responded to societal changes, wars, and theological debates. The anecdotes and historical episodes are vivid, bringing distant centuries to life in a way that feels immediate and relevant.
Saints and Sinners challenges readers to reconsider preconceived notions about the popes, blending moral reflection with historical analysis. Duffy’s clarity, wit, and evident passion for his subject make this book not only informative but genuinely enjoyable. For anyone interested in Church history, leadership, or human complexity, this work is a compelling and rewarding read. It is a masterful synthesis of history and storytelling.
Damian North.
Author
June 11, 2025
A terrific read. Complex because that is what the papal history is. It gallops through the early Popes from St Linus onwards with a cavalcade of Saints and Sinners; the powerful and the pitiful; periods with two or even three Popes; Popes with mistresses; Popes with Cardinal 'nephews'; military Popes and acquisitive Popes; Popes appointed by the great families of Italy and others ordained by the big powers of the day - France, Germany, Spain. More recently we meet Popes of peasant or clerical stock.
We also meet the sincere, thoughtful and intellectual Popes who struggle to uphold or reform the inheritance of St Peter - the concept of Infallibility and the gradual movement towards Masses in the vernacular. We come eventually to the Popes of modern times, the wartime Pius Xll, the surprisingly effective John XXlll and the charismatic Polish John Paul ll, one of the longest serving Popes who travelled the earth and attracted young Christians in their millions. The story ends with the papacy of the German Pope Benedict XVl and so stops short of the successors from Argentina and the United States. Perhaps we shall see a future revision but the story will go on and develop to meet new challenges and new mores.
We also meet the sincere, thoughtful and intellectual Popes who struggle to uphold or reform the inheritance of St Peter - the concept of Infallibility and the gradual movement towards Masses in the vernacular. We come eventually to the Popes of modern times, the wartime Pius Xll, the surprisingly effective John XXlll and the charismatic Polish John Paul ll, one of the longest serving Popes who travelled the earth and attracted young Christians in their millions. The story ends with the papacy of the German Pope Benedict XVl and so stops short of the successors from Argentina and the United States. Perhaps we shall see a future revision but the story will go on and develop to meet new challenges and new mores.
June 17, 2022
Not one of Prof. Duffy's best. The scope of the project is simply too vast to be covered in a single volume and prior to 20th Century the story of the popes was sketchy and piecemeal. In places the proof-reading/editing was poor: the incorrect Papal number was given a couple of times citing a pope that had been dead for almost a century and it was if this was a cut-down precis of the authors original work to reduce the number of pages. The chronology of the history was obviously seriously affected by the lack of historical data, meaning that quite a number of Popes were not mentioned. The Schism was well covered, but could have had more.
The impression overall is of a book trying to describe too big a picture and failing, almost half the book covering the 113 years from 1900 to 2013 with the other half covering 1,766 years.
The impression overall is of a book trying to describe too big a picture and failing, almost half the book covering the 113 years from 1900 to 2013 with the other half covering 1,766 years.
October 12, 2021
Interesting, Informative
I didn't know what I hoped to get from this book. But at the end, I was satisfied.
The bookmarklet touches on theology. It's much more a book about the Church as an organization. (Spoiler alert: lots of disappointing information here for those who believe in the innate holiness of the Church\Pope)
He doesn't do biographies of each Pope (and not surprisingly, he has much more details about 20th century popes than earlier ones).
I found the book very informative and, to be honest, surprisingly readable. There were some dry, dense sections to wade through. But overall I found it very readable.
I didn't know what I hoped to get from this book. But at the end, I was satisfied.
The bookmarklet touches on theology. It's much more a book about the Church as an organization. (Spoiler alert: lots of disappointing information here for those who believe in the innate holiness of the Church\Pope)
He doesn't do biographies of each Pope (and not surprisingly, he has much more details about 20th century popes than earlier ones).
I found the book very informative and, to be honest, surprisingly readable. There were some dry, dense sections to wade through. But overall I found it very readable.
July 11, 2023
I read the last chapter--the popes of the 20th century--to the present day. So much is vaguely in my memory but it was good to read about these important and influential men. Duffy writes of the good and the not so good. I like it when I read something that sends me to read more--and I have requested a biography of Pope John Paul at the library.
I read a newer edition on my Kindle--not the paperback edition.
I read a newer edition on my Kindle--not the paperback edition.
June 1, 2024
The butler did it.
The name of the pope who commissioned the Sistine Chapel says it all: Sixtus IV. Pope Sixth the Fourth. Named after the fictional Pope Sixth, intercalated into the history of the Roman bishops in order to maintain the claim to legitimacy of Rome as the central authority of the Church.
The name of the pope who commissioned the Sistine Chapel says it all: Sixtus IV. Pope Sixth the Fourth. Named after the fictional Pope Sixth, intercalated into the history of the Roman bishops in order to maintain the claim to legitimacy of Rome as the central authority of the Church.
June 17, 2024
Very disappointed. I had read part of an earlier addition years ago. I still remember pictures of particular Popes: A Pope that was held in Constantinople and died when he was released trying to get back to Rome; a Pope who sacrificed his own life when he was saying Mass in the Catacombs so his parishioners could get away. This version is too much about opinions and ideas.
May 3, 2021
Terrific survey of the history of Catholicism from the viewpoint of the pontiff. Filled with tidbits and told from the widest of perspectives it is an entertaining read that informed, educates and gives the reader a plethora of historical nuggets to drop into conversations.
December 29, 2021
More of a political history than anything else. It doesn’t delve into many questions of theology at all and reads like a history of the kings of the Byzantine empire. Add into this fact that it appears to be written from an anti-traditionalist perspective and it’s not a very good book.
January 14, 2023
Intense and very detailed, I feel I have a grasp of the long history of the Catholic Church that was never taught in school or a Catholic upbringing. I recommend as it provides great context to many aspects of where we are today.
November 5, 2024
An enjoyable, if dense at times, read. Though this is hard to avoid with two thousand years contained in a single volume.
I could tell that the ending chapters were newer, I found multiple typos and a formatting error.
I could tell that the ending chapters were newer, I found multiple typos and a formatting error.
November 6, 2018
Should have included maps.
January 10, 2020
solid history; altho clear modernist bias
October 14, 2021
Good reference book but not the most exciting read.
November 6, 2022
If you want to read a history of the Papacy, this needs to be on your shelf. Duffy remains the gold standard for ecclesiastical history.
June 16, 2025
A very well written overview of nearly two thousand years of history and 260+ popes. The book flowed very well.
March 20, 2013
It is a good historical overview of the papacy, but it lacks greatly in theological understanding of certain issues. His treatment of the more contemporary popes seems to be clouded by his own biases. It is a good book in that Duffy is able to synthesize 2,000 years of history into one volume. he also does a good job of highlighting some of the more significant papacies and the political influences throughout history. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone serious about looking in depth into the papacy as a good starting point, but I would also caution, again, on the theology of it. Especially with controversy regarding the more recent popes, there needs to be more theological nuance of the issues. It can be difficult to analyze specific issues in Church history from a purely historical standpoint. There has to be a better theological understanding of the issues in order to better understand the history behind it. One problem was also a hint of cynicism with regard to certain popes. Things are written off as merely effects of old age or other influences without any regard to the meaning behind them or their theological implications.
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