Pope John II

Pope John II (Latin: Ioannes II; died 8 May 535), born Mercurius, was the bishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death. As a priest at St. Clement's Basilica, he endowed that church with gifts and commissioned stone carvings for it.

Pope John II
Papacy began	2 January 533
Papacy ended	8 May 535
Predecessor	Boniface II
Successor	Agapetus I
Personal details
Birth name	Mercurius
Born	Rome
Died	8 May 535 Rome
Buried	St. Peter's Basilica
Other popes named John

Early life

Monogram of John II on a marble slab in St. Clement's Basilica

Mercurius was born in Rome, son of Praeiectus. He became a priest at St. Clement's Basilica on the Caelian 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 plutei and transennae.[3] A reference to "Presbyter Mercurius" is found on a fragment of an ancient ciborium. Several marble slabs that enclose the schola cantorum bear upon them, in the style of the sixth century, his monogram.[1]

Pontificate

Mercurius was elected pope on 2 January 533, apparently the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy.[1]

The notoriously adulterous behavior of Bishop Contumeliosus of Riez caused John to order the bishops of Gaul to confine him in a monastery.[4][5] Until a new bishop could be appointed, he bade the clergy of Riez to obey the Bishop of Arles.[1]

Arianism

In 535, two hundred and seventeen bishops assembled in a council at Carthage submitted to John II a decision about whether bishops who had lapsed into Arianism should, on repentance, keep their rank or be admitted only to lay communion. The question of re-admittance to the lapsed troubled north Africa for centuries (see Novatianism and Donatism). The answer to their question was given by Agapetus I, as John II died on 8 May 535. He was buried in St Peter's Basilica.[1]

See also

• List of Catholic saints
• List of popes

References

1.  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Mann, Horace K. (1910). "Pope John II". In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
2. Lapidge, Michael (2017). The Roman Martyrs: Introduction, Translations, and Commentary. Oxford Early Christian Studies. Oxford University Press. p. 167. ISBN 9780192539359.
3. Lloyd, Joan Barclay (2017). "Sixth-Century Art and Architecture in 'Old Rome': End or Beginning?". In Allen, Pauline; Jeffreys, Elizabeth (eds.). The Sixth Century: End or Beginning?. Byzantina Australiensia. Brill. pp. 224–36. ISBN 9789004344709.
4. De Jong, Mayke (2000). "Transformations of Penance". In Theuws, Frans; Nelson, Janet Laughland (eds.). Rituals of Power. Brill. p. 202. ISBN 9789004109025.
5.  Wace, Henry; Piercy, William C., eds. (1911). "Joannes II. Mercurius, bishop of Rome" . Dictionary of Christian Biography and Literature to the End of the Sixth Century (3rd ed.). London: John Murray.