One Minute History - The Cadaver Synod
5Many leaders find it convenient to make themselves look better by dragging their predecessor through the mud, but few go so far as to dig up their predecessor’s corpse and put it on trial. That is what happened in January of 897 when Pope Stephen VI exhumed the eight month-dead body of Pope Formosus, and convened the Cadaver Synod. The trial was largely politically motivated, as in life, Formosus had attempted to overthrow the rule of the current Holy Roman Emperor. Despite having a deacon assigned to speak for him, the corpse of Formosus proved unable to mount a lively defense and he was convicted of perjury and betraying the papacy. Formosus’ reign as pope was invalidated and he was dumped in the Tiber River. However, when his corpse eventually washed up and began allegedly performing miracles, the people of Rome quickly deposed and imprisoned Stephen instead, and the next Pope reburied Formosus with full honors.
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