The revelation of a forged document that supported the Vatican’s claims to power for over 1500 years. From a supposed baptism to the Reformation: the controversial story of a hoax that shook the Catholic Church.
In the year 313 AD, so it is written, the Bishop of Rome heals Emperor Constantine of leprosy through baptism. In gratitude, the healed ruler appoints the clergyman as the head of all Christians and gives him the western half of his empire. This makes the Pope one of the most powerful men in Europe. For 1,500 years, the Vatican’s claim to supremacy is based on this “Constitutum Constantini,” the Donation of Constantine.
A beautiful story. But it has one catch: the document is a forgery! Countless copies from all over Europe testify to the importance of the donation in the Middle Ages. It is not until the year 1433 that the German theologian Nikolaus von Kues shakes the house of lies. He uncovers hair-raising errors in the text of the document. For example, Constantinople is mentioned, although the city was still called Byzantium at the time. The Latin used also excludes a creation in the 4th century. However, the revelation has no consequences at first. It is not until the time of Martin Luther that the rumor spreads that the document could be forged. A powerful propaganda weapon of the Reformation against the Vatican! And what does the Catholic Church do? It initially announces: the document may not be real, but its content is true.
Only in the 19th century does the Vatican admit the lie. When and where exactly the forgery was created is still unclear to this day. Early evidence dates back to the middle of the 8th century, all other traces are lost in the darkness of history.
The Donation of Constantine: A forgery with far-reaching consequences
The Donation of Constantine is a document that claims to be a gift from Emperor Constantine I to Pope Sylvester I in 313 AD. The document grants the Pope supreme authority over the Christian Church and the Western Roman Empire.
The Donation of Constantine was used by the Papacy to justify its claims to power for centuries. It was used to justify the Pope’s authority over other bishops, to claim territory for the Church, and to justify the Pope’s interference in secular affairs.
However, the Donation of Constantine is now widely recognized as a forgery. The document was first challenged in the 15th century by the German theologian Nikolaus von Kues. Kues pointed out a number of inconsistencies in the document, such as the fact that it mentions Constantinople, which was not founded until 330 AD.
The Donation of Constantine was finally exposed as a forgery in the 19th century by the French historian Ferdinand Gregorovius. Gregorovius demonstrated that the document was written in a style that was not common until the 8th century.
The discovery that the Donation of Constantine was a forgery had a profound impact on the history of the Catholic Church. It undermined the Papacy’s claims to temporal power and led to a decline in the Church’s authority.
The forger’s motives
The identity of the forger of the Donation of Constantine is unknown. However, there are a number of possible motives for the forgery.
One possibility is that the forger was a supporter of the Papacy who wanted to strengthen the Church’s authority. The Donation of Constantine provided the Papacy with a powerful legal basis for its claims to power.
Another possibility is that the forger was an opponent of the Papacy who wanted to undermine the Church’s authority. The Donation of Constantine could have been used to discredit the Papacy and to justify opposition to its claims to power.
It is also possible that the forger was simply a fraudster who was trying to make money. The Donation of Constantine could have been sold to the Papacy or to other interested parties.
The consequences of the forgery
The Donation of Constantine had a profound impact on the history of the Catholic Church. It was used to justify the Papacy’s claims to power for centuries, and it helped to shape the Church’s relationship with the secular world.
The discovery that the Donation of Constantine was a forgery had a similarly profound impact. It undermined the Papacy’s claims to temporal power and led to a decline in the Church’s authority.
The Donation of Constantine is a reminder of the importance of critical thinking and historical analysis. It is also a reminder of the power of propaganda and the dangers of disinformation.
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