Editing Pope Formosus (section)

==Early career==
Probably a native of Rome, Formosus was born around 816.{{sfn|Kirsch|1909|p=139}} He became  [[Roman Catholic Suburbicarian Diocese of Porto–Santa Rufina|cardinal bishop of the suburbicarian diocese of
Portus]] in 864.{{sfnm |1a1=Kirsch |1y=1909 |1p=139 |2a1=Mann |2y=1910 |2p=46}} Two years later, [[Pope Nicholas I]] appointed him a [[papal legate|legate]] to [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgaria]] (866). In 867, while Formosus was serving as legate to the Bulgarian court, [[Boris I]] requested that he be named archbishop of Bulgaria. Since the canons forbade a bishop to [[translation (ecclesiastical)|change sees]], the request was denied. He also undertook diplomatic missions to [[West Francia|France]] in 869 and 872.{{sfn|Kirsch|1909|pp=139–140}}

Upon the death of [[Holy Roman Emperor]] [[Louis II of Italy]] in 875, the nobles elected his uncle [[Charles the Bald]] as the new emperor. Formosus conveyed [[Pope John VIII]]'s invitation for Charles to come to Rome to be crowned. Charles took the crown at [[Pavia]] and received the imperial insignia in Rome on 29 December. The supporters of Louis' other uncle, [[Louis the German]], and of Louis's widow, [[Engelberga]], opposed the coronation. Fearing political retribution, many of them left Rome surreptitiously. Formosus fled to [[Tours]].{{sfn|Kirsch|1909}} On 19 April, John VIII called a synod which ordered Formosus and other papal officials to return to Rome. When Formosus did not comply, he was removed from the ranks of the clergy and [[excommunication|excommunicated]] on the grounds that he had deserted his diocese without papal permission, and had aspired to the position of archbishop of Bulgaria. Additional charges included the accusations that he had opposed the emperor; "conspired with certain iniquitous men and women for the destruction of the Papal See"; and had "despoiled the cloisters" in Rome.{{sfn|Kirsch|1909}} The condemnation of Formosus and others was announced in July 876.{{sfn|Kirsch|1909|p=140}} In 878 the sentence of excommunication was withdrawn after he promised never to return to Rome or exercise his priestly functions.<ref name="lives_of_popes_3">{{harvnb|Mann|1906|p=357}}: "And it is not unlikely that it was because John VIII. saw that Formosus might easily become the tool of designing men&nbsp;– or that at least the faction which had secured his interest might cloak their nefarious plans under the good name of the Bishop of Porto&nbsp;– that he forbade him to come to Rome again."</ref>

As early as 872 he was a candidate for the papacy; [[Johann Peter Kirsch]] suggests that the Pope may have viewed him as a potential rival.{{sfn|Kirsch|1909|p=140}} In 883, John VIII's successor, [[Pope Marinus I]], restored Formosus to his suburbicarian diocese of Portus. Following the reigns of Marinus, [[Pope Adrian III]] (884–885), and [[Pope Stephen V]] (885–891), Formosus was unanimously elected Pope on 6 October 891.{{sfn|Kirsch|1909}}