On This Day

John II's reign as Catholic Pope ends, upon his death

Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536.

Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix III and Gregory I.

In 536, Agapetus traveled to Constantinople at the behest of King Theodahad of the Ostrogoths and unsuccessfully tried to persuade Emperor Justinian I to call off a Byzantine invasion of the Ostrogoth kingdom. While in Constantinople, Agapetus also deposed the patriarch Anthimus I and personally consecrated his successor who is Menas of Constantinople.

Historical Significance

Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536.

Events Before

  1. Byzantine general Belisarius defeats the Vandals led by King Gelimer at the Battle of Tricamarum

    The Vandals were a Germanic people who were first mentioned in the written records as the inhabitants of what is now Poland, during the period of the Roman Empire.

  2. John II begins his reign as the Bishop of Rome

    John II begins his reign as the Bishop of Rome

  3. General Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire defeats Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimium, near Carthage,

    General Belisarius of the Byzantine Empire defeats Gelimer and the Vandals at the Battle of Ad Decimium, near Carthage, North Africa

  4. Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Vandals

    Byzantine General Belisarius makes his formal entry into Carthage, having conquered it from the Vandals

  5. Second and final revision of the Justinian Code is published, a codified set of imperial and classical laws initially be

    Second and final revision of the Justinian Code is published, a codified set of imperial and classical laws initially begun in 528

Events After

  1. Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city, returning the old ca

    Byzantine general Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city, returning the old capital to its empire

  2. St. Agapetus I ends his reign as Catholic Pope

    Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536.

  3. St Silverius begins his reign as Catholic Pope

    St Silverius begins his reign as Catholic Pope

  4. Goths lay siege to Rome

    The siege of Rome of 537–538 AD was the city's first siege during the Gothic War (535–554) between the defending Byzantine Empire's forces under the leadership of Belisarius against a numerically...

  5. Witiges, King of the Ostrogoths, ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the vi

    Witiges, King of the Ostrogoths, ends his siege of Rome and retreats to Ravenna, leaving the city in the hands of the victorious Byzantine general Belisarius

More from the 530s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 8, 535?
Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix III and Gregory I. In 536, Agapetus traveled to Constantinople at the behest of King Theodahad of the Ostrogoths and unsuccessfully tried to persuade Emperor Justinian I to call off a Byzantine invasion of the Ostrogoth kingdom.
Why is John II's reign as Catholic Pope ends, upon his death significant?
Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death on 22 April 536.

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