Despite the widespread popularity of the Pope Joan legend, there is no concrete historical evidence to support the claim that a female pope ever existed. Most historians dismiss the story as a myth or allegory created to criticize the Church's patriarchal structure and the corrupt practices of the papacy.

One of the earliest mentions of Pope Joan appears in the Chronicle of the Popes by the 13th-century historian Martin of Opava. However, even Martin's account is vague, and it is unclear whether he believed the story to be true or simply included it as part of the growing legend. Other medieval sources, such as the Liber Pontificalis and the Annales Ceccani, make no mention of a female pope, and the tale is absent from official Church records.

In addition, many of the key details of the Pope Joan story, such as the dramatic birth during the procession, are not found in early sources and appear to have been added later as the legend evolved. The fact that the Church was aware of the legend but never took significant steps to debunk it further complicates the issue. Some scholars believe that the Church may have deliberately kept quiet about the tale to avoid drawing attention to its implications.

Another theory is that the story of Pope Joan may have originated as a satirical or allegorical tale to expose the hypocrisy and corruption of the Church during the medieval period. In a time when the papacy was seen as morally and politically compromised, the tale of a female pope who secretly rose to power could have symbolized the Church's failure to adhere to its own moral code. The fact that she was eventually exposed and punished might have reflected the belief that corruption and deceit would eventually be revealed.

The Papal Chair and the "Test of the Pope"

One aspect of the Pope Joan legend that has intrigued both historians and enthusiasts alike is the so-called "test of the pope," which supposedly took place during papal elections in the Middle Ages. According to some versions of the story, when a new pope was elected, he was required to sit on a special chair called the Sedia Gestatoria (a ceremonial chair used to carry the pope in processions). In the case of Pope Joan, it is said that this chair revealed her gender, as it had a hole through which the papal candidate's sex would be exposed.

This "test" is often cited as the reason why Pope Joan was allegedly discovered, though there is no definitive historical evidence that such a chair or practice ever existed. The lack of reliable documentation suggests that this part of the legend may have been invented to provide a more dramatic and sensational explanation for Joan's supposed exposure. shutdown123