John Antioch

Born [date unknown] in Antioch, Eastern Roman Empire

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Biography

Pope John V Antioch is Notable.

Pope John V was born in Antioch, in the Eastern Roman Empire, of Syrian descent.^[1][2]

He was elected pope in July 685 by the general population of Rome.^[3]

He had been pontiff for just over one year when he died in August 686. He was buried in the papal tombs of the Old St Peter's Basilica but his tomb as destroyed during the Arab raid against Rome in 846.^[3]

Flocknote Popes in a Year ^[4] tells us:

John V was born in Syria – Antioch, to be specific – and prior to being pope served as one of Pope St. Agatho’s papal legates at the Third Council of Constantinople in 680. Thanks to the agreement wrought by his predecessor, John V was consecrated the same day of his election: July 23, 685.

John was written of highly as being well-educated, energetic, and a fan of moderation, all of which no doubt contributed to his being chosen as Pope No. 82. John V was also extremely generous, having donated 1,900 solidi (4.5-gram gold coins) to assist clergy, monasteries, and houses for the poor.

John reigned for barely a year, dying after an extended illness on August 2, 686. He was buried in St. Peter’s Basilica.

John V was known for his closeness and familiarity with the goings-on in the imperial court at Constantinople. Thanks to his experience at the Council in 680, John was on great terms with the emperor and his buddies. This friendship allowed him, after being elected, to convince Constantine IV to reduce the tax paid by the Church at papal elections and lift other financial burdens on the Church as well.

John V, in addition to being the first pope to not require the emperor’s consent to take office, was also the first of 10 consecutive popes to hail from the East.

In September of 685, just months after John V took office, Emperor Constantine IV died of dysentery, leaving the throne to his 16-year-old son, Justinian II.

Research Notes

This profile is being updated by the Popes Project.

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Pope John V
2. ↑ Vatican
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} 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.
4. ↑ Flocknote Popes in a Year
   SOURCES (and further reading)
   John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
   Pope John V - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/08422c.htm
   Pope John V - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_V
   685 - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/685