Lentorama 2025: Perfunctory Popes

Day 19: Valentine

Valentine became pope upon the death of Eugene II, who rumor suggested was actually Valentine's father or his lover. Still, the rumors didn't stop the people, clergy, and nobles of Rome from making him pope in 827. As we've seen with other popes, the election process at this point was nothing like it is today, so it's not unusual that Valentine was made pope without a formal vote among the cardinals.

What was unusual was that Valentine took office without being ordained. This was the first time in recorded history that the new pope hadn't been made a priest beforehand (Valentine had served in various diaconate roles prior to his election). Perhaps less unusual is that Valentine was made pope over his own objections, whatever they may have been.

If those objections were health-related then the crowd should have paid heed, as Valentine died roughly 40 days after becoming pope. There's no record of anything that Valentine did while pope, but his election did illustrate the growing power of Roman nobility over papal elections.