Saint John I
Pope and Martyr
- Feast Day
- May 18
- Life
- d. 526
- Born
- Tuscany, Italy
Saint John I was elected Bishop of Rome on August 13, 523, succeeding Pope Hormisdas. A Tuscan by birth, he had been an archdeacon of the Roman Church. His pontificate is principally remembered for the embassy that led to his death.
The Arian Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great, ruler of Italy, sent Pope John to Constantinople in 525 to ask the Eastern Emperor Justin I to moderate his recent edict against Arians. John was the first reigning Pope to travel to Constantinople. There he was received with great honor by the emperor, crowned him as the legitimate emperor of the Romans, and celebrated Easter 526 in Hagia Sophia. The success of the Pope's reception aroused Theodoric's suspicion that he had conspired against the Arian cause.
On his return to Italy John was imprisoned at Ravenna, where he died of mistreatment on May 18, 526, after a pontificate of two years and nine months. The Liber Pontificalis records his martyrdom; the Roman Martyrology and the General Roman Calendar honor him on the day of his death.
John I is venerated as a martyr who suffered for fidelity to his pastoral office in the face of Arian political coercion. His witness, like that of Pope Saint Martin I a century later, illustrates the Petrine charism of confirming the brethren (Luke 22:32) even at the cost of life.
Catholic Churches Named After Saint John I
3 parishes on Catholic Church Times share Saint John I's name. Find their Mass times, confession schedules, and adoration hours:
- St. John in the wilderness — Palampur
- Saint John in the Woods Catholic Church — Welches, OR
- John Ireland Catholic Church — Saint Peter, MN
Sources