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ALLEGED QUOTE: "How well we know what a profitable superstition this fable of Christ has been for us!" or
"What profit has not that fable of Christ brought us!"
Though rarely accompanied by a source, this quote is always attributed to Pope Leo X. When a source is offered,
it is sometimes cited as being found in the 14th edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 19, Page 217.
Not only do these pages not mention the quote, it is not even the volume that contains the Pope Leo X article! His
article is found in Volume 13 on pages 926-928. Though I read the encyclopedia article, this quote appears
nowhere within the text. Even though the encyclopedia admits to Leo leaving the papacy virtually bankrupt upon
his death, this quote is never attributed to him.
So where did this quote originate? Skeptics claim Leo said this to a member of his entourage who later attributed
the quote to him. However, the quote has now been attributed to the 16th century satirist and playwright, John
Bale. John Bale joined the Protestant movement after becoming disenchanted with the corruption of the Catholic
church. He wrote many parodies in which he openly expressed his disdain of papal abuse. One of his satirical
works known as The Pageant of the Popes is the actual source of the quote in question (paraphrased in modern
English for the reader's convenience):
"For on a time when a cardinal Bembus did move a question out of the Gospel, the Pope gave him a very
contemptuous answer saying: All ages can testify enough how profitable that fable of Christ hath been
to us and our company." (Pageant of the Popes Page 179)
Even the Catholic Encyclopedia explains this quote does not come from Leo: "His piety cannot truly be described
as deep or spiritual, but that does not justify the continued repetition of his alleged remark: 'How much we and
our family have profited by the legend of Christ, is sufficiently evident to all ages.' John Bale, the apostate
English Carmelite, the first to give currency to these words in the time of Queen Elizabeth, was not even a
contemporary of Leo." Catholic Encyclopedia
CONCLUSION: This quote is from a fictional 16th century work written as a parody. Presenting this as a
legitimate quote would be as absurd as attributing a line from a Shakespearian play to the real life character
whom an actor depicted.
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