Pope Agapetus I

Pope Saint

Agapetus I
Pope Saint; Agapetus I
Bishop of Rome
Church	Catholic Church
Papacy began	13 May 535
Papacy ended	22 April 536
Predecessor	John II
Successor	Silverius
Personal details
Born	c. 489–490; Rome, Ostrogothic Kingdom
Died	22 April 536 (aged 46); Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day	20 September (West); 17 April (East)
Venerated in	Catholic Church; Eastern Orthodox Church
	Other popes named Agapetus

Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death. 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. Four of Agapetus’ letters from this period have survived: two addressed to Justinian, one to the bishops of Africa, and one to the Bishop of Carthage.

Agapetus was canonized in both the Catholic and Orthodox traditions; his feast day is 20 September in the former and 22 April in the latter.

^ (in Greek) Άγιος Αγαπητός πάπας Ρώμης Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής

[1] (in Greek) Άγιος Αγαπητός πάπας Ρώμης Ορθόδοξος Συναξαριστής

[1]