There is most certainly such a requirement, but there appears to be some way of slipping past it.
This is far from the first post about a Muslim or Orthodox Pope, so...
There is most certainly such a requirement, but there appears to be some way of slipping past it.
Actually; I think I figured out how this might have happened.
Step 1: Do some unknown set of actions
Step 2: That unknown set of actions concludes with the Pope becoming the vassal of another (either a King or Emperor), because the Pope is technically a special type of Duke.
Step 3: Have this subject-Pope think that, due to extremely low relations with his liege, it is a good idea to either press the "Convert to religion of liege lord" or "Convert to culture of liege lord"
Step 4: Have the subject-Pope activate the decision not chosen in Step 2 here some time later
Step 5: Due to Steps 3 and 4, and the effects of the decisions enacted in either or both steps, the Pope is no longer European and/or Catholic
Step 6: Hilarity and head-scratching ensues.
Now, exactly what you have to do in Step 1, I'm not entirely sure...but whatever happened there it seems pretty obvious that the Pope enacted Steps 3 and 4, pressing the appropriate "wrong culture/religion" decisions at some point.
Its really funny to me when I see a medieval pope of Bedouin, Russian, Polish or Andalusian culture
Only cultures occurring in HRE's provinces should be allowed for the new Pope.
Its really funny to me when I see a medieval pope of Bedouin, Russian, Polish or Andalusian culture
Only cultures occurring in HRE's provinces should be allowed for the new Pope.