15th May 2006, 04:57 PM
Sadly for feminists, Pope Joan is clearly a myth, its fullest form was written down by Martin of Opava (Martin Polonus), "Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatum" in the 13th century (so several hundred years after she was supposed to be Pontiff). One version has it that the story was invented as anti-Roman propaganda by Constantinople in the time of Photius.
They've got a "few" Roman bits and bobs thouggh, apart from the art, there's the tip of the Spear of Longinus which purports to be tha which pierced Christ's side. Whether or not the vaytican bit is ffrom the one found by the Crusaders at Antioch is unclear, but its got a better chance than the one now in Vienna (aka "the Spear of Destiny").
They've got a "few" Roman bits and bobs thouggh, apart from the art, there's the tip of the Spear of Longinus which purports to be tha which pierced Christ's side. Whether or not the vaytican bit is ffrom the one found by the Crusaders at Antioch is unclear, but its got a better chance than the one now in Vienna (aka "the Spear of Destiny").