Pope John II (Latin:Ioannes II;c. 475 – 8 May 535), bornMercurius, was theBishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death on 8 May 535. As a priest atSt. Clement's Basilica, he endowed that church with gifts and commissioned stone carvings for it. Mercurius became the first pope to adopt a newpapal name upon his elevation to the office. During his pontificate, John II notably removed BishopContumeliosus of Riez from his office, convened a council on the readmission of Arian clergy, and approved an edict of emperorJustinian, promulgating doctrine opposed by his predecessor,Pope Hormisdas.
A monogram of John II on a marble slab in St. Clement's Basilica
Mercurius was born inRome, son of Praeiectus. He became a priest atSt. Clement's Basilica on theCaelian Hill,[1] and even before becoming pope he had commissioned work for the basilica and made generous donations.[2] The basilica still retains memorials of "Johannes surnamed Mercurius";[1] he donated sculpted balustrades (plutei) and carved marbletransennae, grates or screens that partitioned the space without blocking light.[3] A reference to "Presbyter Mercurius" appears on a fragment of an ancientciborium, and hismonogram, in the style of the sixth century, is found on several marble slabs that enclose theschola cantorum.[1]
Mercurius waselected pope on 2 January 533, apparently the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy, perhaps because he had been named aftera pagan god.[1][4]
The notoriously adulterous behavior of BishopContumeliosus of Riez caused John to order the bishops of Gaul to confine him in amonastery.[5][6] Until a new bishop could be appointed, he bade the clergy of Riez to obey theBishop of Arles.[1]
Stemming fromPope Hormisdas' suppression of the statement "one of the Trinity suffered in the flesh" in Scythian monastic liturgies, theAcoemetae, or Sleepless Monks, began to supportNestorianism, the belief that Jesus is neither human nor divine. EmperorJustinian I and patriarchEpiphanius of Constantinople opposed this ideology and sent a deputation to Rome which prompted John II to assemble a synod, excommunicate the Acoemetae, and to issue statements approving the doctrine of the emperor.[6]
In 535, 217 bishops assembled in a council atCarthage submitted to John II a decision about whether bishops who had lapsed intoArianism should, on repentance, keep their rank or be admitted only tolay communion. The question of re-admittance to the lapsed troubled North Africa for centuries (seeNovatianism andDonatism). The answer to their question was given byAgapetus I, as John II died on 8 May 535. He was buried inSt Peter's Basilica.[1]
^abcdef One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Mann, Horace K. (1910). "Pope John II". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
