Pope Agapetus I


Agapetus I
Bishop of Rome
ChurchCatholic Church
Papacy began13 May 535
Papacy ended22 April 536
PredecessorJohn II
SuccessorSilverius
Personal details
Bornc. 489–490
Died(536-04-22)22 April 536 (aged 46)
Constantinople, Eastern Roman Empire
Sainthood
Feast day22 April or 20 September (West)
17 April[1] (East)
Venerated inCatholic Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
Other popes named Agapetus

Pope Agapetus I (489/490 – 22 April 536) was the bishop of Rome from 13 May 535 to his death. His father, Gordianus, was a priest in Rome and he may have been related to two popes, Felix III and Gregory I.

In 536, Agapetus traveled to Constantinople at the behest of King Theodahad of the Ostrogoths and unsuccessfully tried to persuade Emperor Justinian I to call off a Byzantine invasion of the Ostrogoth kingdom. While in Constantinople, Agapetus also deposed the patriarch Anthimus I and personally consecrated his successor who is Menas of Constantinople. Four of Agapetus’ letters from this period have survived: two addressed to Justinian, one to the bishops of Africa, and one to the Bishop of Carthage.

Agapetus was canonized in both the Catholic and Orthodox traditions; his feast day is 22 April