The papacy's history features significant political contention alongside its spiritual authority, highlighted by the emergence of antipopesâindividuals who claimed the title of pope while lacking official recognition. Approximately forty have been designated antipope throughout Church history. Notable cases include Hippolytus of Rome, considered the first antipope, who opposed Pope Callixtus I, and Constantine II, who was forcibly installed as pope with rapid ecclesiastical advancement. These accounts reflect the often turbulent and multifaceted nature of papal succession influenced by both theological disputes and secular power dynamics.
Hippolytus, the first antipope, opposed Pope Callixtus I on theological grounds, aligning with rigorists before reconciling with Callixtus in exile.
In 767, Toto of Nepi installed his brother Constantine II as pope within a day, showcasing the intertwining of secular power and Church hierarchy.
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