Pope Benedict II ( la, Benedictus II) was the

bishop of Rome A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

from 26 June 684 to his death. Pope Benedict II's feast day is 8 May.

Early life

Benedict was born in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. It is possible that he was a member of the Savelli family, though this is not certain. Sent when young to the ''schola cantorum'', he distinguished himself by his knowledge of the Scriptures and by his singing.

Papacy

The bishops of Rome were anciently chosen by the clergy and people of Rome, according to the discipline of those times; the Roman emperor was the head of the people, on which account his consent was required. But whilst the emperors resided in

Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya ( Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis ( ...

, this condition produced often long delays and considerable inconveniences. Although chosen in 683, he was not

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform ...

until 684 awaiting the permission of Emperor

Constantine IV Constantine IV ( la, Constantinus; grc-gre, Κωνσταντῖνος, Kōnstantînos; 650–685), called the Younger ( la, iunior; grc-gre, ὁ νέος, ho néos) and sometimes incorrectly the Bearded ( la, Pogonatus; grc-gre, Πωγων ...

. According to the '' Liber Diurnus Romanorum Pontificum'', he obtained from the emperor a decree which either abolished imperial confirmations altogether or made them obtainable from the

exarch of Ravenna The Exarchate of Ravenna ( la, Exarchatus Ravennatis; el, Εξαρχάτο της Ραβέννας) or of Italy was a lordship of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) in Italy, from 584 to 751, when the last exarch was put to death by the ...

. Benedict symbolically adopted Constantine's sons,

Justinian II Justinian II ( la, Iustinianus; gr, Ἰουστινιανός, Ioustinianós; 668/69 – 4 November 711), nicknamed "the Slit-Nosed" ( la, Rhinotmetus; gr, ὁ Ῥινότμητος, ho Rhinótmētos), was the last Eastern Roman emperor of the ...

and Heraclius. To help to suppress

Monothelitism Monothelitism, or monotheletism (from el, μονοθελητισμός, monothelētismós, doctrine of one will), is a theological doctrine in Christianity, that holds Christ as having only one will. The doctrine is thus contrary to dyothelit ...

, Benedict endeavoured to secure the subscriptions of the bishops of

Hispania Hispania ( la, Hispānia , ; nearly identically pronounced in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, and Italian) was the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula and its provinces. Under the Roman Republic, Hispania was divided into two provinces: Hisp ...

to the decrees of the

Third Council of Constantinople The Third Council of Constantinople, counted as the Sixth Ecumenical Council by the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches, as well by certain other Western Churches, met in 680–681 and condemned monoenergism and monothelitism as heretical ...

of 680/1, and to bring about the submission to the decrees of Macarius, the deposed bishop of Antioch. Restorations of numerous churches in Rome are ascribed to the less than a year's pontificate of Benedict II. After a pontificate of about eleven months, Pope Benedict II died on May 8, 685 and was buried in St. Peter's.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benedict 02, Pope Benedict 02 7th-century popes Benedict 02 Popes of the Byzantine Papacy Benedict 02 7th-century Christian saints 635 births Year of birth uncertain 685 deaths Burials at St. Peter's Basilica