Pope Adrian III orHadrian III (Latin:Adrianus orHadrianus; died 8 July 885) was thebishop of Rome and ruler of thePapal States from 17 May 884 to his death on 8 July 885. He served for little more than a year, during which he worked to help the people of Italy in a very troubled time of famine and war.
Adrian III was born inRome. According toJean Mabillon, his birth name was Agapitus. Reginald L. Poole believes that Mabillon confused Adrian III, who succeededMarinus I, withAgapetus II, who succeededMarinus II a century later.[1]
Adrian laboured hard to alleviate the misery of the people ofItaly, prey to famine and to continuous war.[2] He is also known to have written a letter condemning the Christians of bothMuslim-ruled and Christian-ruled parts of Spain for being too friendly with the Jews in these lands.[3] Adrian also sentTheodosius, the bishop ofBrindisi andOria, to Constantinople to deliver a synodal letter about faith and the filioque topatriarch Photius I.[4]
