Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross (1999)
Was there a female Pope in the mid-800s? Donna Woolfolk Cross assumes so in her historical novel, Pope Joan.
Historical evidence is scarce to support either the existence or non-existence of a female Pope. If she existed, she would have ruled as Pope John VII. Cross’s research revealed that there exists an ancient copy of a document entitled Liber pontificalis which purports to provide a biography of the lives of the early popes. Although it references the existence of Pope “Joan”, it was apparently added many years after the original text was composed. The current position of the Catholic Church denies her existence.
At any rate, Pope Joan is a tale of medieval life in Europe and the restrictions placed on the average person, especially the women. At this period of time (9th Century), it was not uncommon for the clergy to take wives, although the practice was frown upon and hinder one’s elevation in Church hierarchy.
Since there is virtually know recorded history of Joan, the author creates a life for her, beginning with her birth in 814. Joan is the daughter of a cleric and his Viking wife. Her mother, Gudrun, was captured during a raid and forced to marry the cleric who felt it his duty to “convert” her from her heathen ways. Despite this, Gudrun would often tell Joan stories of her Norse gods ~ stories that would result in a beating from her husband.
Joan had two brothers; Matthew who was intelligent and headed for a life in the Church, and John who was clearly not a scholar and longed to become a warrior. Matthew secretly taught Joan how to read. Since her father despised Joan, when he learned that she could read, he beat her nearly to death. She bore the scars on her back for the rest of her life.
This didn’t deter Joan from her pursuit of knowledge. She was determined not to fall into the same life that was destined to her beloved mother. A nearby clergyman learned of Joan’s desires and offered to tutor her. When duty called him to another location, he gave her a book and promised to find another teacher for her. Joan and her brother, John, are sent off to a school far from home. (Matthew had died from an illness and their father decided that John would take his place in the church.)
The school provided Joan relief from her brutal father, but was ridiculed by her classmates. She is taken under the wing of Gerold, an older married man, with children Joan’s age. Gerold was in a loveless marriage and the two form a fast friendship. While Gerold is away, Vikings come and destroy the village and school. Joan is one of the few survivors. Seeing her brother, John, lying dead, she decides to become her brother and join a monastery.
She lives quietly in the monastery as a man for many years. She becomes knowledgeable in medicine. Ultimately, she finds herself in Rome and is serving in the Vatican. Her knowledge and compassion is well known and after the death of Pope Leo, she is surprisingly elected Pope.
Before becoming Pope, however, Gerold appears in Rome. He recognizes Joan and the two pickup their friendship. He tries to convince Joan to discard her disguise and become his wife. She refuses, knowing that she could not begin living as a woman with all the societal restrictions placed women.
Spoiler Alert: After Joan becomes Pope, there is a tragic flood throughout the city. Joan and Gerold find themselves alone in a distant part of the city. They cannot contain their passion. Again, Gerold tries to convince Joan to run away with him, saying that since everyone thinks the Pope has died in the flood, no one would be the wiser. Joan, however, has a strong sense of duty and cannot leave the Papacy. As luck would have it, after their one sexual encounter, Joan becomes pregnant. She considers her options, but decides to go ahead with the birth. Legends surrounding Pope Joan have her dying in childbirth in the Via Sacra. Cross stays true to legend.
Pope Joan was in interesting book, but not one I would read again.
Read: September 13, 2010
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