Aside from the title “Pope Emeritus”, the situation was exactly as it is now, and was recorded that way in the history books. Celestine V resigned by his own design and a conclave began on 23 December 1294, ten days after his resignation. Benedetto Caetani was elected in his place as pope, taking the name Boniface VIII. Celestine V attempted to retire to his old life of solitude and was an ex-Pope for 2 years during Pope Boniface VIII’s papacy, where he was attended by two monks of his order, until he died at the age of 81 in 1296.
If Francis is an illegitimate Pope because Benedict is still alive, then so was Boniface VIII.
I don’t buy conspiracy theories. I don’t see a whisp of evidence that Frankie’s not really the legitimate Pope or that any dark blackmail was going on. As you pointed out there was precedent for resignation/abdication.
But I’m fine with calling the jerk an “Antipope” anyway. ;d
Straw man argument.
I never stated that Francis was illegitimate for reason of Benedict still living. Celestine V governed the Church for four months, before deciding the job was too big for him (Dante placed him in the “inferno” and called him cowardly).
The fact, which you attempt to toss out from the first, is that there has NEVER been a “Pope Emeritus” sharing the office of (and possibly “advising”) the reigning Pope. To hold the title of “Pope” - notwithstanding the qualifier “Emeritus” - one must ACT in the capacity of the office of Pope. This is not the case with Benedict XVI - and no provision has ever been made for such arrangement ... Not in Church tradition, nor in Canon Law, nor in Holy Scripture.
This “Emeritus” position is yet another liberal novelty, foisted upon the Catholic word by the same “innovators” who gave us the illicit bastardize Novus Ordo Missa. It is pure Modernist bull crap all the way to the core.
In any case, if what is stated in the original premise of this thread is true, then the argument we are having is moot - because Pope Frankie’s megalomaniac papacy would be null and void - and he and his fellow Modernist conspirators would all be excommunicated from the Church.