[July 13] John III, pope of Rome

True Name: Catelinus

Parents: Anastasius

Predecessor: Pelagius I
Reign: 561 – 574
Summary: The man named Catelinus was probably raised from a distinguished Roman family in the years of the Byzantine occupation of Rome. His father, Anastasius, was likely a Roman senator and Catelinus may have been involved in the translation of texts from the Greek Fathers of Christianity which Pope Pelagius I had begun during his tenure. Catelinus became pope sometime in 561 and took the regnal name John III.

The death of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in 565 set about a course of action in Rome that would not cease for 250 years. Justinian's successor would look closer to home rather than occupy the historic but otherwise troublesome city of Rome. Thus, without Roman protection, in 568 the Lombards invaded the city. Rome became under constant siege by the Lombards, who sought to conquer the entire Italian Peninsula. The Lombards were Arian Christians and John III feared that their victory would destroy Roman Catholicism in Italy. With the Roman governor trapped in Ravenna unable to halt the Lombard advance, John took it upon himself to go to Naples in the south and petition the southern governor, Narses, to help. Narses agreed and returned with John to Rome. Unfortunately, the public hated Narses and when John brought him to Rome, the public turned against him as well. Unable to live in the city, John fled to the Via Appia and its catacombs outside of Rome where he carried out his papal duties largely in seclusion. While there, he mediated between two condemned bishops who the king of Burgundy supported but the public did not. John decided in favor of the bishops and sent them back to their sees. John III died soon after and was succeeded by Benedict I after an eleven-month delay in confirming the new pope due to poor communication with Constantinople.

Date of Death: 13 July 574
Successor: Benedict I

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Leo VII, pope of Rome (939)
• Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (1024)
• Jianwen, emperor of China (1402)
• Henry IX, pretender to England & Scotland (1807)