Lining the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome are stunning mosaic portraits honoring each pope, in an unbroken line back to Saint Peter himself.
But did you know among these revered images hides a pope who never actually existed?
Meet the fictional “Pope” Donus II, a curious figure whose story isn’t one of intrigue or drama, but rather of medieval scribal error. Yes, you heard that right: Donus II was born from a simple misunderstanding, a misread Latin word.
In the late Middle Ages, chroniclers maintaining papal lists misinterpreted script for “domnus,” a Latin honorific meaning “lord” or “master,” as the proper name “Donus.” Thus, “Domnus de Sutri,” referencing Benedict VII’s bishopric in Sutri, mistakenly became Pope Donus II.
This slip-up cemented Donus II’s accidental legacy in papal annals, wrongly placing him between Benedict VI and Benedict VII during the turbulent 10th-century. Although entirely fictional, Donus II was said to reign briefly in the 970s, even gaining a reputation for supposed integrity and honorable conduct!
For centuries, this oversight remained undetected, even finding its way into the gallery at Saint Paul Outside the Walls during its renovation in 1748. Here, Donus II’s fictitious image silently legitimized his non-existent “reign.”
The mistake wasn’t corrected until 1947, when Vatican archivist Monsignor Angelo Mercati rigorously revised the papal rosters. This historical cleanup officially erased Donus II from the record books, acknowledging that no such pope had ever lived.
What insight might we glean from this amusing historical mishap?
Perhaps a reminder that while earthly records may err, God’s Truth never falters. Each pope, real or imagined, points us back to Christ: the true and everlasting foundation of His Church. May we too rely always on Divine Truth rather than human error, staying firm in the faith given once for all.
Saint Paul, Apostle of Truth, pray for us! 🙏
Photo credit: Fex1993, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
