One of them wasn't a pope, and the other one was, even though he wasn't. What was the main difference between them apart from this, and who were they?

queproblema

Hippolytus of Rome is sometimes considered the first Antipope, meaning a pope who is not the Bishop of Rome. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipope Legend has it he was dragged to his death behind horses. He had his ins and outs with Rome, but is now considered a saint--of horses, of course! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolytus_of_Rome The main difference between him and the other Hippolytus is that the other one lived only in Greek myth. (Or maybe Baloo has in mind any of several other differences.) He was likewise dragged to his death behind horses. This page has two beautiful and bloodless depictions of the dragging. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippolytus_%28mythology%29 Nov 05 09, 6:39 PM

unclerick

Alexander Pope wasn't a pope. He was a poet Pope Alexander V was a pope, even though he wasn't. Pope Alexander V was an antipope. This is defined as a person who, in opposition to a sitting Bishop of Rome, makes a widely accepted claim to be pope. In the past antipopes were typically those supported by a fairly significant faction of cardinals and kingdoms. The Catholic Church of today does not recognize him as a pope. If you click on the newadvent link (Catholic encyclopedia) and scroll down to to the years 1409 to 1410 you will not see him listed, it just says antipope. The main difference between the two was that the poet Alexander Pope was physically deformed. His height at adulthood was 4 1/2 feet (1.37m). He had a form of TB that affects the spine and was sometimes cruelly called a "hunchback toad". Among other things he is remembered today for the statement "a little learning is a dangerous thing". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antipope http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm http://www.world-class-poetry.com/Alexander-Pope.html Nov 05 09, 8:55 PM

Baloo55th

Nice tries - good reasoning - but... Not the fellers I'm looking for. Neither of them was in any way a Bishop of Rome, legit or not. But withal, one was a pope even though he wasn't... Nov 06 09, 2:36 PM

Baloo55th

Rather apt in some ways to have an attempt by un-cleric-k..... Nov 06 09, 2:38 PM

unclerick

Hi Baloo I had to read it a few times before I got the joke. A bit slow. Uncle Rick Nov 06 09, 8:23 PM