Editing Pope Formosus (section)

==Legacy==
{{further|Cadaver Synod}}
[[Image:Jean Paul Laurens Le Pape Formose et Etienne VI 1870.jpg|thumb|The Cadaver Synod as portrayed by [[Jean-Paul Laurens]] in 1870]]
[[Pope Stephen VI|Stephen VI]], the successor of Boniface VI, influenced by Lambert and Agiltrude, sat in judgment of Formosus in 897, in what is known as the [[Cadaver Synod]]. The corpse was disinterred, clad in papal vestments, and seated on a throne to face all the charges from John VIII. The verdict was that the deceased had been unworthy of the pontificate. The {{lang|la|[[damnatio memoriae]]}} was applied to Formosus, all his measures and acts were annulled, and the orders conferred by him were declared invalid. The papal vestments were torn from his body, the three fingers from his right hand he had used in blessings were cut off, and the corpse was thrown into the [[Tiber]], later to be retrieved by a monk.

Following the death of Stephen VI, Formosus's body was reinterred in [[St Peter's Basilica]]. Further trials of this nature against deceased persons were banned, but [[Pope Sergius III|Sergius III]] (904–911) reapproved the decisions against Formosus. Sergius demanded the re-ordination of the bishops consecrated by Formosus, who in turn had conferred orders on many other clerics, causing great confusion. Later, the validity of Formosus's pontificate was re-reinstated. The decision of Sergius with respect to Formosus has subsequently been universally disregarded by the [[Catholic Church]], since Formosus's condemnation had little to do with piety and more to do with politics.