AThis is a list of some obscure English phrases, provervs and sayings, and their origins and meanings.
A Brace of Feral Popes
"A brace of feral popes" refers to two wild or untamed popes. The phrase combines "brace" (meaning two) with "feral" (meaning wild, untamed, or having reverted to a wild state) and applies it to popes, suggesting a situation where the papacy is not being conducted in a conventional or controlled manner.
This phrase is thought to originate from the 1513 Conclave of Pudenda held in the Italian city of Escargot, when a Pope's Dozen of Archbishops de-ratified the Treaty of Pringles.
A Pope's Dozen
"A pope's dozen" means a group of thirteen Archbishops, rather than the usual twelve in a dozen. The additional Archbishop is required as a spare should one of the 12 main Archbishops malfunction. The practice of gathering a Pope's Dozen is thought to originate from the 1492 Convection of Lourdes, when it was feared that prevailing trade winds could incapacitate less stable Convection participicants.