Papacy began June 928 Died 928 AD, Rome, Italy Papacy ended February 929 Successor Pope Stephen VII | Birth name ? Leo Sanguini Predecessor Pope John X Name Pope VI | |
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Similar People Pope Anastasius III, Pope Innocent XII, Pope Innocent VIII, Pope Clement XIII, Otto II - Holy Roman Emperor | ||
Pope Leo VI | Wikipedia audio article
Pope Leo VI (880 - 12 February 929) was Pope for just over seven months, from June 928 to his death in February 929. His pontificate occurred during the period known as the Saeculum obscurum.
Contents
Biography
Leo VI was born into a Roman family, and his father was Christophorus, who had been Primicerius under Pope John VIII around the year 876. Tradition has it that he was a member of the Sanguini family. Just immediately prior to his election as pope, Leo had been serving as the Cardinal-Priest of the church of Santa Susanna.
Leo was elected pope around June 928, during a period of anarchy. He was chosen by the senatrix Marozia, who had gained control of Rome via the domination of her husband Guy, Margrave of Tuscany, and who had ordered the imprisonment and death of Leo’s predecessor, Pope John X.
During his brief pontificate, Leo confirmed the decisions of the Synod of Split. He completed his predecessor’s investigations into the ecclesiastical situation in Dalmatia, and proceeded to give the pallium to John, Archbishop of Salona, and ordered all the bishops of Dalmatia to obey him. He also ordered the Bishop of Nona and others to limit themselves to the extent of their dioceses. Leo then issued a ban on castrati entering into a union of marriage. He also issued an appeal for help against the Arab raiders who were threatening Rome, stating that:
”Whoever died faithful in this struggle will not see himself refused entry into the heavenly kingdom.”
The French chronicler Flodoard said of him:
”Through the virtue of Peter, Leo the sixth was taken and received, he was preserved for seven months and five days, and like his predecessors, he joined the company of the prophets.”
Leo died in February 929, and was succeeded by Pope Stephen VII. He was buried at St. Peter’s Basilica.