Pope Innocent III (1161-1216), who led the papacy to its absolute peak and left behind the famous quote, 'The Pope is the sun, and the Emperor is the moon.'
He ascended to the papal throne at the young age of 36 and reigned for 18 years. He is well-known for the Fourth Council of the Lateran, the Fourth Crusade, and the Albigensian Crusade.
But according to Saint Lutgardis (1182-1246) from modern-day Belgium, right after the Pope passed away, a ghost engulfed in the flames of Purgatory appeared before her while she was praying. Startled, the Saint asked who it was and what they wanted...
'I am Pope Innocent.' When she asked how someone like the Pope could end up in such a state, he revealed three sins that would have sent him to hell if not for the Virgin Mary. He then said, 'Ah! It is truly horrific. Unless I receive your help, this will last for centuries. Help me in the name of the Virgin Mary, who granted me the grace to appear before you!' and vanished.
Hearing this, Lutgardis supposedly went to her fellow nuns, told them the story, and prayed for the soul of the Pope suffering in Purgatory. A short while later, she heard the news of his death. However, it’s said she never revealed what those three sins were until the very end...
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