Pope John I (Latin:Ioannes I; died 18 May 526) was thebishop of Rome from 13 August 523 to his death on 18 May 526.[1] He was a native ofSiena (or the "Castello di Serena", nearChiusdino), inItaly. He was sent on a diplomatic mission toConstantinople by the Ostrogoth KingTheoderic to negotiate better treatment for Arians. Although John was relatively successful, upon his return to Ravenna, Theoderic had him imprisoned for allegedly conspiring with Constantinople. The frail pope died of neglect and ill-treatment.
While adeacon inRome, John is known to have been a partisan of theAntipope Laurentius, for in alibellus written toPope Symmachus in 506, John confessed his error in opposing him, condemnedPeter of Altinum and Laurentius, and begged pardon of Symmachus. He would then be the "Deacon John" who signed theacta (ecclesiastic publication) of the Romansynod of 499 and 502; the fact the Roman church only had seven deacons at the time makes identifying him with this person very likely.[2] He may also be the "Deacon John" to whomBoethius, the 6th-Century philosopher, dedicated three of his five religioustractates, ortreatises, written between 512 and 520.[3]
Emperor Justin is recorded as receiving John honorably and promised to do everything the embassy asked of him, with the exception that those converting from Arianism to Orthodoxy would not be "restored" (i.e., allowed to retain their place in the Orthodox hierarchy as deacons, priests, or bishops).[6] Although John was successful in his mission, when he returned toRavenna, Theoderic's capital in Italy, Theoderic had John arrested on the suspicion of having conspired with Emperor Justin. John was imprisoned at Ravenna, where he died of neglect and ill treatment. His body was transported toRome and buried in theBasilica of St. Peter.
Pope John I is depicted in art as looking through the bars of a prison or imprisoned with adeacon and asubdeacon. He is venerated at Ravenna and inTuscany. His feast day is 18 May, the anniversary of the day of his death (whereas it had formerly been 27 May).[8]
