Theodore was a rival with

Paschal Paschal is used as a name. Paschal, a variant of Pascal, from Latin ''Paschalis'', is an adjective describing either the Easter or Passover holidays. People known as Paschal include: Popes and religious figures * Antipope Paschal (687), a riv ...

for the

papacy The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

following the death of

Pope Conon Pope Conon (died 21 September 687) was the bishop of Rome from 21 October 686 to his death. He had been put forward as a compromise candidate, there being a conflict between the two factions resident in Rome — the military and the clerical. H ...

(21 September 687), and thus is considered an antipope of the

Roman Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Biography

Prior to the disputed election, Theodore was an archpriest. According to the '' Liber Pontificalis'' partisans of Theodore and Paschal seized different parts of the

Lateran 250px, Basilica and Palace - side view Lateran and Laterano are the shared names of several buildings in Rome. The properties were once owned by the Lateranus family of the Roman Empire. The Laterani lost their properties to Emperor Constantine ...

, and as each were unwilling to give way to the other they were locked in combat for control of the entire basilica. Meanwhile, representatives of the garrison, the majority of the clergy and the citizens met in the imperial palace and eventually elected Sergius, a priest of the church of

Santa Susanna The Church of Saint Susanna at the Baths of Diocletian ( it, Chiesa di Santa Susanna alle Terme di Diocleziano) is a Roman Catholic parish church located on the Quirinal Hill in Rome, Italy. There has been a titular church associated to its site ...

as Conon's successor. Having thus decided on Sergius, they brought him to the Lateran and forced their way in. Theodore immediately conceded the office, and abased himself to Sergius. Paschal remained unconvinced, and while pretending to accept Sergius, sent messengers to 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 ...

John Platyn promising gold in exchange for military support. The exarch arrived, demanded the gold, and looted

Old St. Peter's Basilica Old St. Peter's Basilica was the building that stood, from the 4th to 16th centuries, where the new St. Peter's Basilica stands today in Vatican City. Construction of the basilica, built over the historical site of the Circus of Nero, began dur ...

, but departed after Sergius I's consecration (15 December 687).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Theodore, Antipope Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 7th-century antipopes 7th-century archbishops 7th-century Byzantine people Antipopes

Biography

See also

References