"In just over fifty years (between 1798 and 1849) three Roman Pontiffs were exiled from Rome in defence of the Catholic Faith."
-Christopher
Pius VI exiled in France 1798-1799 died in exile a martyr for the Faith.
Pius VII kidnapped 1809, in captivity to 1814.
Pius IX in exile 1849-1850, later prisoner of the Vatican 1870 to his death in 1878.
Pius IX locked himself in his apartments in a hissy fit because he'd lost; without the French army, his own Roman "subjects" wanted nothing more to do with being ruled by an old man in a dress. The only people who took stories of him being forced to sleep on straw were ignorant peasants in countries where being Catholic was part of national identity (the Irish, Belgians, French Canadians); the Italians thought he was just being stubborn and stupid.
ReplyDeleteCheck out "Prisoner in the Vatican" for a version much closer to the truth.