The Papacy Trivia Quiz

Answer: Red

Pope Benedict resumed the wearing of red shoes. This had been done for centuries until Pope John Paul II was elected in the later part of the 20th century. These red shoes have always been made by the Pope's personal cobbler. Rumors that these shoes are made by Prada are completely false.

Answer: Henry VIII

Pope Clement refused to annul Henry's first marriage, an argument that extended over several years. In 1533 Henry married Anne Boleyn despite the papal opposition, decreeing that his Archbishop of Canterbury had the authority to proclaim the annulment and declare the second marriage valid in the eyes of the Church. This was the first concrete step towards establishing an church independent of Rome. In 1538, because of rising attacks on Rome's holdings in England, with the destruction of the shrine to Thomas Becket in Canterbury, Paul III issued the edict of excommunication in 1538.


Earlier, in a sign of mourning after the Sack of Rome in 1527, Pope Clement VII had grown a beard which he kept until his death. The next 24 Popes followed suit.

Answer: Pope Benedict XVI

When Pope Benedict XVI was elected in 2005, he became the first German Pope since 1522 as well as the oldest man to be elected Pope (78) since 1730. This Pope was considered a great scholar and a prolific writer. He was the first Pope to be considered computer literate and is known to use an iPod.

Answer: It cannot be proven that she was a real person

Rumours and legends about a female pope have been vigorously denied by the Catholic Church for centuries. The story is that she was an English woman who posed as a man so that she could become a priest. She was ultimately elected Pope in 855 and took the name John VIII.

Her secret was discovered when she gave birth during a Papal procession whereupon she was stoned to death on the spot. Popes have allegedly refused to take this same path since this occurred. The Tarot card "The Popess" is said to be a reference to her.

It cannot be proven whether any of this occurred or if she was a real person. No mention of her or of the circumstances of her Papal election came about for over 1,000 years. Most scholars believe this rumor was started in an effort to embarrass the Catholic church after the Reformation.

Answer: His given name was the name of a pagan god

Pope John II was the first Pope to change his name upon election to the Papacy. He did this because his given name was was Mercurius which is a derivative of the pagan Roman god Mercury. The tradition of changing your name when you are elected Pope has continued to the present day.

Answer: Sylvester II

Sylvester II (999-1003) was the first French Pope. Gregory V (996-999) was the first German Pope. John XII was the first teenager to be elected Pope (he was eighteen). Paul I was the first Pope to succeed his own brother as Pope.

Answer: True

This is true and it is entirely possible that there will be more such Popes in the future. Pope Gelasius I (492-496), Pope Miltiades (311-314), and Pope Victor I (189-199) were all born in Africa. Since that time all Popes have been European, but this is likely to change with time.

Answer: Pope Innocent IV

Pope Innocent IV (1243-1254) was Pope during one of the Catholic church's darkest periods. It was he who approved of the use of torture during the Inquisition that was in progress while he was in office. Sadly there were many Inquisitions and they all included horrendous behavior in the name of religion. Pope Innocent IV believed that this practice was needed to get sinners to confess their guilt.

There was no presumption of innocence.

Answer: He murdered the previous Pope

Pope Sergius III is the only Pope known to have ordered the murder of his predecessor (Pope Leo V). He is also the only Pope known to have fathered an illegitimate son who later became a Pope (John XI). He is considered one of the most disgraceful Popes in the history of the Catholic Church.

Answer: False

Since 1522 all Popes had been Italian. But throughout history there have been Popes who called other countries home. Adrian VI was born in The Netherlands, Adrian IV was English and Sylvester II was French, just to name a few.