Pope Vitalian
Eastern Roman Empire | |
---|---|
Died | 27 January 672 Rome[1] | (aged 71)
Pope Vitalian (
Election
Vitalian was born in
Pontificate
Monothelitism
Like Eugene, Vitalian tried to restore the connection with
Patriarch Peter also replied, although his answer was somewhat noncommittal as to Monothelitism, a belief he defended. In his letter, he gave the impression of being in accord with the pope, whose letter to Peter had expounded the Catholic faith. Thus ecclesiastical intercourse between Rome and Constantinople was restored, but the mutual reserve over the dogmatic question of Monothelitism remained. Vitalian's name was entered on the
Vitalian showed reciprocity toward Constans when the latter came to Rome in 663 to spend twelve days there during a campaign against the Lombards. On 5 July, the pope and members of the Roman clergy met the emperor at the sixth milestone and accompanied him to St. Peter's Basilica, where the emperor offered gifts. The following Sunday, Constans went in state to St. Peter's, offered a pallium wrought with gold, and was present during the Mass celebrated by the pope. The emperor dined with the pope on the following Saturday, attended Mass again on Sunday at St. Peter's, and after Mass took leave of the pope. On his departure Constans removed a large number of bronze artworks, including the bronze tiles from the roof of the Pantheon, which had been dedicated to Christian worship.[5]
Constans then moved on to
Western Church relations
Pope Vitalian was successful in improving relations with England, where the
The archiepiscopal
Authority over Eastern Church
Vitalian played a role in exonerating a bishop of the Eastern Church. Bishop John of Lappa had been deposed by a synod under the presidency of Metropolitan Paul. John appealed to the pope and was imprisoned by Paul for so doing. He escaped, however, and went to Rome, where Vitalian held a synod in December 667 to investigate the matter and pronounced John guiltless. He then wrote to Paul demanding the restoration of John to his diocese and the return of the monasteries which had been unjustly taken from him. At the same time the pope directed the metropolitan to remove two deacons who had each married after consecration.
Death and legacy
Vitalian died on 27 January 672 and was succeeded by
is traditionally believed to date from the time of Vitalian's papacy.Notes
- ^ The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Saint Vitalian". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
- ^ a b c "Miranda, Salvatore. "The Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church", Florida International University". Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2013-04-07.
- ISBN 9781317678175.
- ^ a b Joseph Brusher S.J. (1959). "St. Vitalian". Popes Through the Ages. Christ's Faithful People. Archived from the original on 2006-05-13.
- ^ a b c d e Kirsch, Johann Peter (1912). "Pope St. Vitalian" in The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
- ^ Sir Frank Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, third edition (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1971), pp. 123, 130
- ^ Stenton, Anglo-Saxon England, p. 131
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia. 1913. .
- Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. .