File:Medieval papal bulla of Antipope John XXIII (FindID 263341).jpg

English: A medieval, lead alloy papal bulla that has been flattened and pierced, possibly to act as a spindle whorl. It is 36.16mm in diameter and 6.9mm thick. It weighs 43.97gm. The obverse depicts St. Paul and St. Peter, each face in a beaded border. The legend above reads "SPA SPE", (Sanctus PAulus and Sanctus PEtrus). The reverse reads: IOhAn / n[VS] PP / XXIII, suggesting that this is a bull of Pope John the 23rd (PP means Pastor Pastorum - Shepherd of the Shepherds). However, Pope John the 23rd was a twentieth century pope (1958-1963) and this is clearly a medieval bull. Instead, this seal seems to refer to Baldassarre Cossa (c. 1370 - 22 December 1419), who was antipope John XXIII during the Western Schism. The Western Schism is the period (1378-1417) in the Western church when two (and then three) popes simultaneously claimed to be legitimate. Antipope John XXIII was pope between 1410 and 1415. He was one of the seven cardinals who, in May 1408, deserted Pope Gregory XII, and, with those belonging to the obedience of Antipope Benedict XIII, convened the Council of Pisa, of which Cossa became the leader. They elected Pope Alexander V in 1409. Cossa succeeded him a year later. This is the first example of a bulla of Antipope John XXIII to be recorded on the PAS database. There are large numbers of bullae known from the time of some Avignon Popes (as the Unofficial Popes are now known), who seemed to have issued more documents than the normal Popes, but few are known of John XXIII. Another example is held by the British Library: W de G Birch 1900, Catalogue of Seals in the Dept of Manuscripts in the British Museum [now B. Library] vol. 6, BM, London, 290-1 no 21, 919. There is also a John XXIII bulla recorded from Stowmarket. The rarity of this pope would actually fit in with the general paucity of bullae in the 15th Century, so is perhaps not altogether surprising. Bullae were used to seal official documents of the papacy which came to be called bulls after the seal. In the medieval period, bull was only a popular term used almost promiscuously for all kinds of instruments which issued from the papal chancery, including indulgences, although it now has a more strict definition. Papal bullae such as this would have acted as seals on official Papal documents to authenticate their provenance and authority. This example is also unusual because of the large hole in the centre. Another example on the database with a large hole is HESH-1517A7, a bulla of Innocent IV. The description says: "The seal has been deliberately defaced or reused by piercing / cutting a circular hole through the centre of the seal. [...] The pierced hole through the seal is relatively unusual and the reason for cutting it is unclear. It is possible that the bulla was reused as a spindle whorl, but if this were the case then much of the detail would probably have been lost. The other reason would be to suspend it either to wear or more likely to display. However, if this were the case then the hole present is rather large. A direct parallel of this practice has not been found." This example then, is the only other example known to be defaced in this way though KENT-CAFD76 is also perforated. There are 110 bullae recorded on the PAS database.