May 18 - Pope Saint John I
Died: 526
Nationality: Italian
Vocation: priest
Canonization: pre-congregation
A native of Tuscany, Pope John I began his time with the Church as an archdeacon. He became Pope in 523, and inherited the problem of the Arian heresy from his predecessor.
This heresy was splitting the Church apart during the 4th century and taught that Jesus was not truly divine. Many Christians believed the heresy, including Theodoric the Goth, the emperor of Italy. While he had been fairly tolerant of non-Arians within his domain, when John I became pope Theodoric changed his policies. Also in 523, the Byzantine Emperor Justin I ordered all the Arian clergy to surrender their churches into orthodox Catholic hands, which angered Theodoric greatly. He threatened to go to war against Justin and all Catholics.
Eventually, Theodoric reluctantly agreed to negotiate with Justin, and appointed Pope John I as his reluctant negotiator. John had a delicate line to walk, he did not agree with the heretics, yet did not want any violence to break out within the two sects. Not much is known about his visit with the emperor and what was discussed, yet he was somehow able to reunite the Eastern and Western Churches which had been in schism since 482.
Theodoric however, was growing suspicious. He had already murdered John’s friend and well-known Catholic writer Boethius, and decided to take action against John as well. He had the pope imprisoned in Ravenna, where he was martyred through neglect and poor treatment, ultimately, dying on May 18th.
Pope Saint John I, pray for us.