St.
John I was a native of Siena in Tuscany and was one of the seven
deacons of Rome when he was elected to the papacy at the death of Pope
Hormisdas in the year 523.
At the time, Theodoric the Great ruled
over the Ostrogoths in Italy and Justin I was the Byzantine Emperor of
Constantinople. King Theodoric supported the Arian heresy, which denied
the divinity of Christ.
Justin I, the first Catholic on the
throne of Constantinople in fifty years, published a severe edict
against the Arians, requiring them to return to orthodox Catholics the
churches they had taken from them. The said edict caused a commotion
among eastern Arians, and spurred Theodoric to threaten war.
Ultimately,
he opted for a diplomatic solution and named Pope John, much against
his wishes, to head a delegation of five bishops and four senators to
Justin.
Pope John, refused to comply with Theodoric’s wishes to
influence Justin to reverse his policies. The only thing he did obtain
from Justin was for him to mitigate his treatment of Arians, thus
avoiding reprisals against Catholics in Italy.
After the
delegation returned, Theodoric, disappointed with the result of the
mission, and growing daily more suspicious at reports of the friendly
relations between the Pope and Justin I, had the pontiff arrested at
Ravenna.
Pope John I died in prison a short time later as a result of ill treatment.
Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Pope St. John I
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