empty papal throne

Its a bit of a vague question!

The only way it could happen IMHO would be for Rome in its entirety to fall to anti-Papalists, the Pope flees (and probably dies for this to work), you get some sort of repeat of the later medieval schism (eg France adopts a Pope, Austria chooses another) and by division of authority the idea of a central Papacy dies.

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
I am not sure that Papacity can end on 19th century anymore. It was too old and established by 1800. Even if Rome and Italy somehow become anti-papacity, papacity then move to another place.
 
I am not sure that Papacity can end on 19th century anymore. It was too old and established by 1800. Even if Rome and Italy somehow become anti-papacity, papacity then move to another place.

Indeed, considering that as far as the Unification of Italy in the 1860s France still prouded itself in being the "defender of Christendom" (which meant, by proxy, defender of the Pope and the Papal States) - a rather Medieval mentality, if you ask my opinion - shows that the Papacy would continue at least as an spiritual institution, even if not as a political power, like OTL. If it wasn't France, it would be Austria or Spain.

Grey Wolf's idea of every country adopting a kind of "nationalist religious institution" like the England with Anglicanism is very interesting. It would be extreme of Gallicanism, mixed with the national sentiments that flowered in the 19th Century :D
 
Look at Mazzini and the Roman Republic, if instead you had an atheistic socialist group seizing power and the Pope ran...

It would be interesting if the German Empire adopted a Bavarian Pope against the French, Austrian and Spanish Popes...

Best Regards
Grey Wolf
 
Just a note: In 1870, before the political conflict with the Catholic church, Otto von Bismarck offered asylum to Pope Pius IX in Cologne or Fulda.
 
Another route

Suppose that there was a series of Papal casualties in rapid succession--a heart attack moments after uttering the Urbi et orbi blessing, oddball accidents from falling down the stairs and breaking a neck, to a gas leak somewhere, to the papal train crashing--Two or three years of five Popes in a row. Possibly no one would accept the office in the light of their god seeming unhappy with the Papacy--or perhaps the College of Cardinals would decide to leave the Papacy vacant.

For that matter, if they're dropping like flies, perhaps the pope of the week might decide that it's a sign from their god, and declare ex cathedra that changes must be made in the papacy, and that no new pope be elected until such time as changes are made.
 
Suppose that there was a series of Papal casualties in rapid succession--a heart attack moments after uttering the Urbi et orbi blessing, oddball accidents from falling down the stairs and breaking a neck, to a gas leak somewhere, to the papal train crashing--Two or three years of five Popes in a row. Possibly no one would accept the office in the light of their god seeming unhappy with the Papacy--or perhaps the College of Cardinals would decide to leave the Papacy vacant.

For that matter, if they're dropping like flies, perhaps the pope of the week might decide that it's a sign from their god, and declare ex cathedra that changes must be made in the papacy, and that no new pope be elected until such time as changes are made.

Not a chance in hell of that happening. You could have a dozen popes die in a year and they'd still elect a new one. These aren't men to start freaking out that God suddenly hates them because the pope died. They're largely well learned, college educated men with strong grasp of the world. In the 19th century the Church is a leading scientific authority and they understand perfectly well that sometimes you have a crap year where a bunch of people die.
 
What if the title of pope somehow cease to exist during the 19th century ?

After a succession of almost 2000 years, that's rather unlikely. Or the Pope insists on one of his other titles: bishop of Rome, vicar of Jesus Christ, successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Servant of the Servants of God, Patriarch of the West.
 
After a succession of almost 2000 years, that's rather unlikely. Or the Pope insists on one of his other titles: bishop of Rome, vicar of Jesus Christ, successor of the Prince of the Apostles, Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church, Primate of Italy, Archbishop and Metropolitan of the Roman Province, Servant of the Servants of God, Patriarch of the West.

I agree. The Papacy is the oldest institution in the western world. The title of Pope might die out, but not the office of the Papacy. The Pope will simply adopt one of his other titles.
 
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