Pope John IV
| Pope John IV | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Rome | |
| |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Papacy began | 24 December 640 |
| Papacy ended | 12 October 642 |
| Predecessor | Severinus |
| Successor | Theodore I |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Iadera, Dalmatia, Eastern Roman Empire |
| Died | 12 October 642 Vatican, Rome, Italy, Eastern Roman Empire |
| Other popes named John | |
Pope John IV (Latin: Ioannes IV; died 12 October 642) was the bishop of Rome from 24 December 640 to his death on 12 October 642.[1] His election followed a four-month vacancy. He wrote to the clergy of Ireland and Scotland to tell them of the mistakes they were making with regard to the time of keeping Easter and condemned Monothelitism as heresy. According to sacred tradition, he created the Catholic Church in Croatia with Abbot Martin.
Rise
Pope John was a native of Iadera, Dalmatia.[2] He was the son of the scholasticus (advocate) Venantius. At the time of his election, he was archdeacon of the Roman Church, an important role in governing the see. John was considered "a very cultured man".[3] As John's consecration on 24 December 640 followed very soon after his election, it is supposed that the elections were being confirmed by the exarch of Ravenna rather than directly by the emperor in Constantinople.[4]
Papacy
While still only pope-elect, John, with the other bishops of the Catholic Church, wrote to the clergy of Ireland and Scotland to tell them of the mistakes they were making with regard to the time of keeping Easter, and exhort them to be on their guard against the Pelagian heresy. At about the same time, he condemned Monothelism as heresy. Emperor Heraclius immediately disowned the Monothelite document known as the "Ecthesis". To Heraclius' son, Constantine III, John addressed his apology to Pope Honorius I, in which he deprecated the attempt to connect the name of Honorius with Monothelism. Honorius, he declared, in speaking of one will in Jesus, only meant to assert that there were not two contrary wills in Him.[4]
Troubles in his native land caused by the invasions of Slavs directed John's attention there. To alleviate the distress of the inhabitants, John sent the abbot Martin into Dalmatia and Istria with large sums of money for the redemption of captives. As the ruined churches could not be rebuilt, the relics of some of the more important Dalmatian saints were brought to Rome. John then erected an oratory in their honour.[2] It was adorned by the pope with mosaics depicting John himself holding a model of his oratory in his hands. John endeavoured thereby to convert the Slavs in Dalmatia and Istria to Christianity. Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus claimed that Duke Porga of Croatia, archon of White Croats who have been invited into Dalmatia by Heraclius, sent to Emperor Heraclius for Christian teachers. It is supposed that the emperor to whom this message was sent was Emperor Heraclius himself, and that he sent it to Pope John IV.[4]
John was buried in the Basilica of St. Peter.
From the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia
Pope John IV — (640-642).
A native of Dalmatia, and the son of the scholasticus (advocate) Venantius. The date of his birth is uncertain; d. 12 October, 642. At the time of his election he was archdeacon of the Roman Church. As John's consecration followed very soon after his election, it is supposed that the papal elections were now confirmed by the exarchs resident at Ravenna. Troubles in his native land, caused by invasions of Slavs, directed John's attention there. To alleviate the distress of the inhabitants, John sent the abbot Martin into Dalmatia and Istria with large sums of money for the redemption of captives. As the ruined churches could not be rebuilt, the relics of some of the more important Dalmatian saints were brought to Rome. John erected an oratory in their honour which still stands. It was adorned by the pope with mosaics depicting John himself holding in his hands a model of his oratory. John apparently did not content himself with palliating the evils wrought by the Slavs. He endeavoured to convert these barbarians. Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus says that Porga, a prince of the Croats who had been invited into Dalmatia by Heraclius I, sent to an Emperor Heraclius for Christian teachers. It is supposed that the emperor to whom this message was sent was Heraclius I himself, and that the pope to whom he sent was John IV.
While still only pope-elect, John, with the other rulers of the Roman Church, wrote to the clergy of the North of Ireland to tell them of the mistakes they were making with regard to the time of keeping Easter, and exhorting them to be on their guard against the Pelagian heresy. About the same time he condemned Monothelism. Emperor Heraclius immediately disowned the Monothelite document known as the "Ecthesis". To his son, Constantine III, John addressed his apology for Pope Honorius, in which he deprecated the attempt to connect the name of Honorius with Monothelism. Honorius, he declared, in speaking of one will in Jesus Christ, only meant to assert that there were not two contrary wills in Him. John was buried in St. Peter's.
References
- Back to citation McKilliam 1912, p. 99.
- Back to citation occurrence 2.0 Back to citation occurrence 2.1 Škunca, Stanko Josip. "Pope John IV from Zadar and the Mission of Abbot Martin in 641", Radovi, Institute for Historical Sciences of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zadar, No.48 September 2006. pp. 187-198
- Back to citation Miranda, Salvador. "Giovanni", Cardinals of the Holy roman Church, Florida International University
- Back to citation occurrence 4.0 Back to citation occurrence 4.1 Back to citation occurrence 4.2 Mann, Horace. "Pope John IV." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 8. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 23 September 2017
Bibliography
- Sereno Detoni, Giovanni IV. Papa dalmata, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2006 ISBN 978-88-209-7889-1
- McKilliam, Annie E. (1912). A Chronicle of the Popes from St. Peter to Pius X. G. Bell and sons, Ltd.
- Luciano Rota, I Papi Caio e Giovanni IV, in Istria e Dalmazia. Uomini e tempi, II, Dalmazia, Udine, Del Bianco 1992
- John IV in Encyclopædia Britannica
- The Popes and the Church of Rome in Late Antiquity John Moorhead - Taylor and Francis - 2014 ISBN 9781317578277
Attribution:
External links
- Media related to Pope John IV at Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church