Stephen III | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Rome | |
| Church | Catholic Church |
| Papacy began | 7 August 768 |
| Papacy ended | 24 January 772 |
| Predecessor | Paul I |
| Successor | Adrian I |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Stephanus 720 |
| Died | 24 January 772 Rome, Papal States |
| Other popes named Stephen | |
Pope Stephen III (Latin: Stephanus III; 720 – 24 January 772)[1] was the bishop of Rome and ruler of the Papal States from 7 August 768 to his death. Stephen was a Benedictine monk who worked in the Lateran Palace during the reign of Pope Zachary. In the midst of a tumultuous contest by rival factions to name a successor to Pope Paul I, Stephen was elected with the support of the Roman officials. He summoned the Lateran Council of 769, which sought to limit the influence of the nobles in papal elections. The Council also opposed iconoclasm.