THE YEAR 600 A.D. - THE PAPACY

At this time, there was a tag of power taking place. Seeing the influence of the Pope, most kings and emperors tried to control and dictate on the Pope. 

The Pope waged a brutal war to remain independent of Catholic emperors. Then, one day, Emperor Justinian II tried to arrest the Pope. The Romans drove the imperial agents out of the city, thus ending for a while imperial attempts to control the popes. 

Pope Boniface III decreed that no one may start any activity for election until three days after the burial of the Pope. 

Pope Deusdedit was zealous in extending relief during times of pestilence. He was the first one to use the word "Bull" for Vatican pronouncements, thus "Papal Bull."

Pope Severinus reigned only four months.

St. Pope Martin I enraged the emperor because of his proclamations. The emperor in turn arrested him, brutally treated him and banished him. The emperor instead installed St. Eugene I to the papal throne. Being a holy man, the Pope went against the emperor and suffered the same fate as Pope Martin. 

Pope Adeodatus, like the previous and future popes, took active part in promoting the monastic discipline, believing that the vitality of the Church is as good only as the vitality of the monastic life in the Church. 

Pope Agatho spoke so authoritatively during the Sixth Ecumenical Council that to him is attributed the statement: "Peter has spoken through Agatho."

Pope St. Benedict II removed the onerous practice introduced by the emperor of confirming the election of popes. 

As early as this time, there were two anti-popes: Theodore and Paschal. They were not bad men. A deadlock simply took place in their election. They were both proclaimed Popes by their supporters. But, after a while, Pope St. Sergius was elected to settle the deadlock. The word anti-pope was not the right word to describe them. 

(updated 07-30-02)