"Hatred is a chain, heavier than prison walls ..."

Deacon John was a serene man of 53 years; thin, quiet and bookish. He was more at home with Scripture, than mud-slinging with politicians. Yet, Rome seated him in St Peter's chair as the 53rd pope.

It was the year of our Lord 523 AD, before the college of cardinals. The deacon from Siena accepted the burden with meek resolve. Clergy warned him about the King's Arian beliefs. King Theoderic ruled Rome, the Goths (Germans) and some of the Balkans. To the clerics, he replied; “the peace of Christ is not kept by fear, but fidelity.” Within 3-4 months, the King deployed the pope to the Byzantine empire.

The mission was triggered by Emperor Justin I’s anti-Arian 523 AD edict, which King Theo demanded Pope John fix. In Constantinople, the pope was to persuade emperor Justin the Thracian; to soften laws persecuting the Arians. St John did not flinch, yet knew it was an impossibility. As a Nicene Council supporter, Pope John fought Arianism and the king knew it. Yet, he feared that Emperor Justin I’s new anti-Arian laws would spark rebellion in Italy. It was a no-win situation. He went, because refusing the king would cause violence in Italy. Pope John’s mission was diplomatic: prevent persecution, un-promote heresy, and stop King Theo from retaliating against Nicene Christians. In addition, his East and West flock was in schism.

St John was old for his age, frail and the sea voyage might kill him; or was that the point? He submitted, “I go where the Church needs me, not where I am safe.” His companions protested, but Pope John smiled—tired, kind and obedient.

When the pope arrived in Constantinople, the city erupted in celebration. The emperor bowed, the crowds sang, and the Hagia Sophia smoked with candles and incense. St John, who was never one for grandeur, felt embarrassed.

“Glory is a wind. Fidelity is a rock,” he whispered to clerics nearby. He knew the costs of heresy.

Eventually he secured peace overall, without bending the faith to Theo’s demands. When he returned to Italy, Theo’s face was lined with anger.

“You failed me,” the king scolded. The pope bowed his head—not in fear, but in confident sorrow.

“I served Truth,” St John answered softly. “If that is failure, I accept it.” St John's hour had come.

King Theo ordered the pope imprisoned in a damp, cold, bare cell in Ravenna, to be forgotten. As St John’s body declined, his mind remained clear. For his 2 remaining years; he prayed for Rome, Theo, and the Church that he fought to preserve. Meanwhile, King Theo usurped the power of the Petrine chair with his Arianism.

A prison guard once asked the pope why he did not curse the king. St John preached, “hatred is a chain heavier than these walls. I will not wear it.” He would rather die with a pure heart, defending Christ's Bride as he had vowed. Meanwhile, as the pope lay dying, Theo martyred two Roman Senators for not bending, which led to a growing interest in the faith. It was also a start to the schismatic healings.

On May 18, 526 AD, debilitated by hunger and neglect; the gentle scholar-pope died a martyr. Byzantium and Rome buried their shepherd with honors knowing he was, "the pope who was starved by a king." Like Christ, his story was a seed for the faith, that bore fruit. God's plan for this humble deacon was as a hinge to fuse the faith. Many took vows and stepped up to forge the faith in ink: St Benedict, St Gregory the Great, St Columba, St Scholastica, St Bridget, etc.

Martyring innocent leaders destroyed King Theo's reputation. Within months of the beloved pope's demise, King Theo's kingdom unraveled. Theo died isolated and unexpected. His family attempted to regroup without success. Emperor Justinian sent generals to reclaim Italy, where it was absorbed into his empire c. 554 AD.

Pope John I (c.470-526) was remembered not as a politician, but as a soft firm voice that refused to twist the faith. Like St Peter his original boss, he was never canonized formally, because he preceded the process. Pope John I's feast day is May 18.

Pope Saint John I,

you valued Truth over your own life.

You remained steadfast in the Gospel.

Please pray that we will never waver or water down our faith.

May we have your courage, so God uses us too;

to reach souls who need saving.

Saint John, pray for us.

Jesus, we trust in You.

Sources:

Anonymous. Valesianus. Chronicle of Ostrogothic Italy.

Britannica. Saint John I. Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Catholic Encyclopedia. Pope St. John I. New Advent.