You wrote:
“Why else would the Church employ what is popularly known as the ‘ball-feeling chair’ if Joan had never existed?””
Two points:
1) The existence of the chair in no way implies the existence of a “Pope Joan”
2) where is the evidence this charis even exists first? I have seen people mention it, but isn’t there more than hearsay?
It seems to me that this is all very suspect. First of all, the seat in question is called sedia stercoraria whioh clearly means it is a toilet chair (a commode if you will). Also, the person who first claimed that this chair was used in papal election of coronation ceremonies - a Dominican named Robert of Uzès - described it from one of his VISIONS. He never actually saw it. He just saw it in a vision so who knows how accurate that info is?
The simple fact is that “Pope Joan” is a made up story with no basis in history whatsoever.
Actually, the chair does exist. But its creation predates the legend of Pope Joan by many centuries, and its use was a couple centuries after Pope Joan supposedly lived. And given how many robes and that the pope wears during his coronation (when it was used), can you possibly imagine how awkward it would have to be to sit on the throne in such a way as to allow someone underneath to reach up and check gender?
According to the article the chair is in the Vatican
Museum. You go look and come back and tell us if it
is there.