La Papessa
Encyclopedia
La Popessa, also written as La Papessa, is a term used in tarot
to refer to The Papess or The High Priestess
playing card
. It is also a term used informally by some Roman Catholics to refer to a woman who is perceived as exercising undue influence on a pope
to the extent that she is seen as La Papessa or a "she pope"-- most recently Sister Pascalina who worked for Pope Pius XII. It was also used to refer to Pope Joan
, the myth
ical woman pope who supposedly reigned as pope from 855 to 858, and of Olimpia Maidalchini
the sister-in-law and alleged mistress of Pope Innocent X.
woman disguised herself as a man to be allowed to enter Holy Orders
. It was claimed that she rose to prominence with her Order before being elected pope. Her deception was only unearthed when she collapsed in childbirth during a papal procession through Rome
. According to one version, the angry crowd then stoned to death Pope Joan and her newborn child. All subsequent popes were then supposedly subjected to an examination whereby, having sat on a dung chair containing a hole called sedia stercoraria, a cardinal had to reach up and establish that the new pope had testicle
s, before solemnly announcing "Duos habet et bene pendentes" — "He has two, and they dangle nicely."
While the story of Pope Joan is attested to by some respected mediæval historians who repeated as fact traditional accounts of her supposed reign, it has been generally dismissed by historians since the 17th century as a fabrication.
was the real-life housekeeper of Eugenio Pacelli
, a Vatican
diplomat
who in 1939 became Pope Pius XII.
The precise nature of the relationship between Pacelli and Lehnert remained a source of controversy throughout their lifetimes.
The Bavaria
n-born nun first worked for Pacelli when he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the court of King Ludwig III of Bavaria
. In 1918 rumours spread through the Vatican that Pacelli and Lehnert were lovers.Pacelli demanded and was granted a full investigation of what he called a "horrible calumny". Lehnert remained as his housekeeper, a post she would continue to fill (along with other nuns who assisted her) until his death in 1958.
Lehnert became highly controversial in the 1950s when Pope Pius XII's health began to deteriorate. Her enemies included his family (his sister labelled her scaltrissima — extremely cunning — while his nephew begged him to dismiss her) and senior figures in the Curia
. Lehnert assumed the role of gatekeeper to the Pope, deciding who could meet him and who would not be allowed to meet him, what Vatican documents could be submitted to him and what ones couldn't. Critics accused her of using her position to poison his mind against some senior figures, most notably Giovanni Montini
, whom Pius made Archbishop of Milan in 1952/3, thus removing him from influential Vatican circles. At that time, Montini declined the cardinalate. Her most outspoken critics within the Vatican labelled her La Papessa or the "She Pope"", also calling her "Virgo Potens", the "Powerful Virgin", a name otherwise used for Mary the Mother of Jesus. Her critics sought, without success, to have her dismissed from the Papal Household.She left Vatican service immediately upon Pius's death in 1958.
Tarot
The tarot |trionfi]] and later as tarocchi, tarock, and others) is a pack of cards , used from the mid-15th century in various parts of Europe to play a group of card games such as Italian tarocchini and French tarot...
to refer to The Papess or The High Priestess
The High Priestess
The High Priestess is the second trump or Major Arcana card in most traditional Tarot decks. This card is used in game playing as well as in divination. In the first Tarot pack with inscriptions, the 18th-century woodcut Marseilles Tarot, this figure is crowned with the Papal tiara and labelled La...
playing card
Playing card
A playing card is a piece of specially prepared heavy paper, thin cardboard, plastic-coated paper, cotton-paper blend, or thin plastic, marked with distinguishing motifs and used as one of a set for playing card games...
. It is also a term used informally by some Roman Catholics to refer to a woman who is perceived as exercising undue influence on a pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
to the extent that she is seen as La Papessa or a "she pope"-- most recently Sister Pascalina who worked for Pope Pius XII. It was also used to refer to Pope Joan
Pope Joan
Pope Joan is a legendary female Pope who, it is purported, reigned for a few years some time in the Middle Ages. The story first appeared in the writings of 13th-century chroniclers, and subsequently spread through Europe...
, the myth
Mythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
ical woman pope who supposedly reigned as pope from 855 to 858, and of Olimpia Maidalchini
Olimpia Maidalchini
Olimpia Maidalchini , also spelled Olympia and known as Donna Olimpia, was the sister-in-law of Pope Innocent X .- Early life :...
the sister-in-law and alleged mistress of Pope Innocent X.
Catholicism
While many women were accused of exercising "undue influence" on popes, the term La Popessa is particularly used to refer to two.Pope Joan
According to mediæval legend, in the 9th century (855-858) an EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
woman disguised herself as a man to be allowed to enter Holy Orders
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
. It was claimed that she rose to prominence with her Order before being elected pope. Her deception was only unearthed when she collapsed in childbirth during a papal procession through Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. According to one version, the angry crowd then stoned to death Pope Joan and her newborn child. All subsequent popes were then supposedly subjected to an examination whereby, having sat on a dung chair containing a hole called sedia stercoraria, a cardinal had to reach up and establish that the new pope had testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
s, before solemnly announcing "Duos habet et bene pendentes" — "He has two, and they dangle nicely."
While the story of Pope Joan is attested to by some respected mediæval historians who repeated as fact traditional accounts of her supposed reign, it has been generally dismissed by historians since the 17th century as a fabrication.
Pasqualina Lehnert
While the evidence as to the existence of the supposed "Pope Joan" may be scant, Sr. Pasqualina LehnertPasqualina Lehnert
Madre Pascalina Lehnert , born Josefina Lehnert, was a German Roman Catholic nun who served as Pope Pius XII's housekeeper and secretary from his period as Nuncio to Bavaria in 1917 until his death as pope in 1958. She managed the papal charity office for Pius XII from its beginning in 1944 to 1958...
was the real-life housekeeper of Eugenio Pacelli
Pope Pius XII
The Venerable Pope Pius XII , born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli , reigned as Pope, head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of Vatican City State, from 2 March 1939 until his death in 1958....
, a Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
who in 1939 became Pope Pius XII.
The precise nature of the relationship between Pacelli and Lehnert remained a source of controversy throughout their lifetimes.
The Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n-born nun first worked for Pacelli when he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the court of King Ludwig III of Bavaria
Ludwig III of Bavaria
Ludwig III , was the last King of Bavaria, reigning from 1913 to 1918.-Early life:...
. In 1918 rumours spread through the Vatican that Pacelli and Lehnert were lovers.Pacelli demanded and was granted a full investigation of what he called a "horrible calumny". Lehnert remained as his housekeeper, a post she would continue to fill (along with other nuns who assisted her) until his death in 1958.
Lehnert became highly controversial in the 1950s when Pope Pius XII's health began to deteriorate. Her enemies included his family (his sister labelled her scaltrissima — extremely cunning — while his nephew begged him to dismiss her) and senior figures in the Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
. Lehnert assumed the role of gatekeeper to the Pope, deciding who could meet him and who would not be allowed to meet him, what Vatican documents could be submitted to him and what ones couldn't. Critics accused her of using her position to poison his mind against some senior figures, most notably Giovanni Montini
Pope Paul VI
Paul VI , born Giovanni Battista Enrico Antonio Maria Montini , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church from 21 June 1963 until his death on 6 August 1978. Succeeding Pope John XXIII, who had convened the Second Vatican Council, he decided to continue it...
, whom Pius made Archbishop of Milan in 1952/3, thus removing him from influential Vatican circles. At that time, Montini declined the cardinalate. Her most outspoken critics within the Vatican labelled her La Papessa or the "She Pope"", also calling her "Virgo Potens", the "Powerful Virgin", a name otherwise used for Mary the Mother of Jesus. Her critics sought, without success, to have her dismissed from the Papal Household.She left Vatican service immediately upon Pius's death in 1958.