Pope John VI (Latin:Ioannes VI; 655 – 11 January 705) was thebishop of Rome from 30 October 701 to his death on 11 January 705. John VI was aGreek fromEphesus who reigned during theByzantine Papacy. His papacy was noted for military and political breakthroughs on theItalian Peninsula. He was succeeded byPope John VII after a vacancy of less than two months.[1] The body of the pope was buried inOld St. Peter's Basilica.
John assistedExarch Theophylactos, who had been sent to Italy byEmperor Tiberius III,[2] and prevented him from using violence against the Romans.[3] John VI's interventions prevented Theophylactos from being injured, having come to Rome to "cause trouble for the pontiff".[4]
In 704, after being expelled, yet again, from his see, the elderly BishopWilfrid of York went toRome and pleaded his case "before the apostolic Pope John [VI]".[5] Wilfrid had visited Rome in 654 and 679 and witnessed the progressive transformation of the Church administration to a Greek-dominated hierarchy. Because of this, John VI convened a synod of Greek-speaking bishops to hear Wilfrid's cause, a linguistic hurdle that much perturbed Wilfrid.[5] Nonetheless, the synod exonerated Wilfrid, restored him to his see, which he occupied until his death in 709, and sent him back with letters for KingÆthelred of Mercia for papal mandates to be implemented.[5] John also sent thepallium toBerhtwald, whom Sergius I had confirmed asarchbishop of Canterbury.[6]
John succeeded in inducing DukeGisulf I of Benevento to withdraw from the territories of the empire through tactics of persuasion and bribery.[3] According to some sources, he "single-handedly convinced the Lombard duke Gisulf of Benevento to withdraw his forces and return home" after the duke had devastated the neighboring Campanian countryside and constructed an encampment within sight of the city walls of Rome.[7] Distressed at the sufferings of the people, Pope John sent a number of priests furnished with money into the camp of the Lombard duke to ransom all the captives whom Gisulf had taken.[6]
Other significant events during John VI's pontificate include the Lombard kingAripert II returning theCottian Alps to their former status as apapal patrimony.[7] Numerous construction projects also occurred, including a newambon in theBasilica of St. Andrew the Apostle, a new altar cloth forSan Marco, and "suspended diaphonous white veils between the columns on either side of the altar inSan Paolo."[7] John VI also promoted easterners within the episcopal hierarchy, including Boniface, the papal counselor.[5]
Ekonomou, Andrew J. 2007.Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes: Eastern influences on Rome and the papacy from Gregory the Great to Zacharias, A.D. 590–752. Lexington Books.
