Liber Pontificalis

-​ The Brill Encyclopedia of Christianity claims that this work is an encyclopedia detailing
the lives of popes; this one is focused on Theodore son of Theodore.
-​ He was a bishop from Jerusalem, and was pope from 642 to 649.
-​ Before his reign, Maurice and and Issac were engaged in a conflict, where Isaac
killed Maurice.
-​ Maurice was an evildoer, but Issac was better (still bad tho)
-​ After Maurice was killed, Isaac received a divine stroke and died. In response, the
emperor placed Theodore Calliopas, an exarch, to rule Ital.y
-​ After Theodore was given this position, Pyrrhus, the former patriarch and bishop
oConstantinoplele came to Rome and acknowledged the authority of the Holy See, and
the errors of his ways and his predecessors. Theodore celebrated this by making Pyrrhus
give gifts to the people, and placed a cathedra for him in Rome. However, Pyrrhus went
back to his old ways and so Theodore summoned all the clergy in the Church of St. Peter
and pronounced anathema on Pyrrhus and deposed him from his position.
-​ During his reign, the bodies of the martyr's Saints Primus and Felician they were buried
in in the arenarium on the Via Nomentana, but were then deposited in the church of St.
Stephen, and Pope Theodore presented gifts to them
-​ He also built up the Church of St. Valentine, dedicating and offering it gifts. He built an
oratory to St. Sebastian inside the Lateran Episcopium and bestowed gifts there. He built
an oratory to St. Euplus outside St. Paul’s gate and dedicated and decorated it.
-​ Lastly, he wrote to the Patriarch Paul of Constantinople, which he requested and reproved
him with the canons and apocrisarii, saying that he was astray from the Orthodox faith of
the church. People tried to correct Theodore, but he was resolute.
-​ He was deposed by the apostolic see, and because of this the bishopric was vacant
for 52 days.
-​ He performed one December ordination, 21 priests, 4 deacons; for various
places 46 bishops

This is the 75th life written about in Liber Pontificalis, a biographical work that details the lives
of the popes from Saint Peter until Pope Stephen V, detailing hundreds of years of Christian
history and changes, both politically and religiously. The 75th life we are focused on is the Pope
Theodore I, or Theodore son of Theodore. He was originally from Greece but was the Bishop of
Jerusalem before taking up the duty of being the pope. He held the title from 642 to 649. The
author spends much of the first few sections on Pope Theodore by mentioning the context of
political changes in Italy. The author mentions that two men, Maurice and Issac were engaged in
a bitter struggle where Issac eventually ended up beheading Maurice in Ravenna, and Issac soon
after died of a “divine stroke”. After this period of chaos, the Byzantine Emperor placed
Theodore Calliopas (a different Theodore) as the exarch of Italy, and peace began to be felt under
the reign of Pope Theodore I. The author mentions that he was generous and loved the poor, but
he also exalted and decorated the tombs of saints, specifically Saints Primus and Felician. It’s
also mentioned that Pope Theodore built the Church of Saint Valentine, and oratories to the
Saints Sebastian and Euplus in both the Lateran Episcopium and Saint Paul’s Gate respectively.
Lastly, it’s mentioned that Pope Theodore was strict on adhering to Christian orthodoxy, as the
former Patriarch of Constantinople, Pyrrhus, was excommunicated under Theodore’s reign. In
addition, Theodore also reproved Pyrrhus’ successor, Paul, but because of this he was deposed in
649.

Similarly, this is the 78th life in Liber Pontificalis, focused on Pope Vitalian. Vitalian, son of
Anastasius, held the office of the Pope for 14 and a half years, from 657 to 672 CE. Vitalian was
also a native Italian from Campania. The author mentions that he was well received by the
imperial leadership in Constantinople, who upon hearing he was made the Pope, gifted him
decorated gospels, adorned with gold and pearls. However, Vitalian’s time as Pope was dictated
by military funding and campaigns led by Emperor Constans II. Emperor Constans II arrived in
Italy to begin the preparations for funding armies against the Muslim expansion in the south and
east. Although when he arrived in Rome, Pope Valerian bestowed upon him gifts, he was more
preoccupied with salvaging bronze from the city – especially from the Church of Saint Mary ad
Martyres. However, after his time in Rome, Constans II moved south into Sicily, where he
recruited men and stripped churches of their holy ornaments to prepare for the campaign.
However, this was never brought to fruition, as Constans II was assassinated in Sicily. After this
vigorous funding campaign, Pope Vitalian focused on sending men from Rome to Britain to
ensure that the Churches of England were maintained to and upon Christian orthodoxy, so he
sent Archbishop Theodore and Abbot Hadrian to Canterbury. Because of his leadership,
Archbishop Theodore eventually became known for being pious and learned, developing and
advancing church doctrine for the benefit of the English church. Shortly after this Pope Vitalian
passed away, ending his 14-year-long reign of being the Pope.

​ During the mid to late 600s CE, the Pope's authority was developing and would

eventually become fully cemented and respected. The first source detailing the lives of the popes

is the Liber Pontificalis, a biographical work focusing on the reigns of popes and their many

actions during their lives. The 75th life detailed in the text is the life of Pope Theodore

(642-649), who ruled at the end of a tumultuous period. The text mentions that following the

conclusion of this period, Pope Theodore took advantage of the situation and helped cement his

authority in Italy by placing Theodore Calliopas as exarch of Italy, establishing peace and the
Pope’s authority in the region. However, Pope Theodore’s authority was not fully respected, as

he wrote and sent messengers to the Patriarch of Constantinople, calling on him to return to the

Orthodox faith. After Paul had remained steadfast in his rejection of Pope Theodore’s message,

Pope Theodore was deposed from his position, signaling some pushback against Papal authority.

​ This is contrasted by the 78th life of the Liber Pontificalis, the life of Pope Vitalian

(657-672). Although Pope Vitalian did grant financial authority to Emperor Constans II, allowing

him to take bronze and gold decorations from churches in Rome and Southern Italy to finance an

army that would retake Northern Africa, which was lost to the emerging Muslim Caliphate.

However, after Constans II was assassinated, Pope Vitalian focused on strengthening Papal

authority and Christianity throughout Europe. Notably, he placed Archbishop Theodore and

Abbot Hadrian in charge of the English Church at Canterbury, a choice that was well received in

England. Later English historians would also specify that Pope Vitalian’s choice of placing

Theodore and Hadrian in England was impactful in strengthening Christianity and Papal

influence in England. Showing that the Pope’s authority by this time was both established and

respected.