Pope from August 897 - November 897
Died: Unclear
Pronounced: ROE-muh-noose or roe-MAH-noose
Very little is known for sure about Romanus, including the dates of his birth, death, and papal election. During his short time in office, Romanus granted the pallium to Vitalis, the Abbot of Italy’s Farfa Abbey, and also gave a papal stamp of approval to Spanish bishops Gerona and Elna in affirming the possessions of their dioceses. His pontificate ended in November 897, though he may have been deposed instead of dying in office. One written account of Romanus’ era noted that “he was made a monk,” which, at that time, was the PC way of saying “he got the boot.”
What was he known for?
Romanus was known primarily for being another pope who ascended from one of the many groups fighting over the papacy in Rome during those days. All signs point to Romanus belonging to the party who had imprisoned and murdered his predecessor, Stephen VI, for convening the grisly Cadaver Synod. In keeping with the tradition of many popes during those days, Romanus also made a point to annul all the decrees and actions of the previous pope, perhaps with a bit of attitude.
Fun fact: Pope Romanus, if we used the English version of his name, would bring a whole new meaning to the title “Roman” Pontiff.
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Coming Tomorrow...Pope Theodore IISOURCES (and further reading)
John, E. (1964). The Popes: A concise biographical history. New York: Hawthorn Books.
Pope Romanus - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13163b.htm
Pope Romanus - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Romanus
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