pope of the time being
Preserved but no longer current.
This probably refers to Boniface VI, an abandoned profligate who was elected Pope by the mob in 896 and held the position for only fifteen days. The only Saint Boniface to be Pope was Boniface I, who died in 422.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “pope of the time being” mean?
This probably refers to Boniface VI, an abandoned profligate who was elected Pope by the mob in 896 and held the position for only fifteen days. The only Saint Boniface to be Pope was Boniface I, who died in 422.
Is “pope of the time being” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.