555
Vigilius, first pope of the Byzantine Papacy (born 500)
Vigilius, first pope of the Byzantine Papacy (born 500)
Vigilius, first pope of the Byzantine Papacy (born 500)
Pope Vigilius
Head of the Catholic Church from 537 to 555
- Died
- 555
Pope Vigilius was the bishop of Rome from 29 March 537 to his death on 7 June 555. He is considered the first pope of the Byzantine papacy. Born into Roman aristocracy, Vigilius served as a deacon and papal apocrisiarius in Constantinople. He allied with Empress Theodora, who sought his help to establish Monophysitism, and was made pope after the deposition of Silverius. After he refused to sign Emperor Justinian I's edict condemning the Three Chapters, Vigilius was arrested in 545 and taken to Constantinople. He died in Sicily while returning to Rome.