ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Pope Joan

Pope Joan is a story that some people believe is true, though there is no factual evidence to support it. The story goes that a long time ago, there was a woman who disguised herself as a man and became the pope. She supposedly did a very good job and was pope for several years, but eventually people figured out that she was a woman and things did not end well for her.

In reality, it is highly unlikely that a woman could have become pope back then, as the Catholic Church did not allow women to hold such a position. The story of Pope Joan may have been started as a way to criticize the Church and its attitudes towards women. However, it is just a story and not something that actually happened in history.