Can you declare war on Vatican City?
The Vatican City State is a neutral nation, which has not engaged in any war since its formation in 1929 by the Lateran Treaty.
What would happen if the Pope was killed?
Whether a Pope dies or retires, the same process takes place to elect a new one. Fifteen days after the death of the Pope, the College of Cardinals begin conclave.
Can you overthrow the Pope?
Pope is supreme authority in the Catholic Church and can’t be judged, according to canon law. “There are only two circumstances that can lead to him no longer being pope, and one would be his death and then the other would be his free resignation,” said Monsignor Jason Gray, a canon lawyer and pastor based in Illinois.
Does the Pope have balls?
A cardinal would have the task of putting his hand up the hole to check whether the pope had testicles, or doing a visual examination. This procedure is not taken seriously by most historians, and there is no documented instance.
Did the pope ever have an army?
The Papal Army was disbanded in 1870, leaving only the Palatine Guard, which was itself disbanded on 14 September 1970 by Pope Paul VI; the Noble Guard, which also disbanded in 1970; and the Swiss Guard, which continues to serve both as a ceremonial unit at the Vatican and as the pope’s protective force.
Has a pope ever been executed?
Though no pope has been killed in recent times, there was an assassination attempt on Pope (now Saint) John Paul II in 1981. The attack was orchestrated by Mehmet Ali Ağca, who was aided by three accomplices. Mehmet Ali Ağca shot St. John Paul not only survived, but also went on to forgive his would-be assassin.
Has any pope had a child?
Some candidates were sexually active before their election as pope, and others were accused of being sexually active during their papacies. A number of them had offspring….Popes who were legally married.
| Name | John XVII |
|---|---|
| Reign(s) | 1003 |
| Relationship | Married before his election as pope |
| Offspring | Yes (three sons) |
Has the Pope ever been assassinated?