Background
Adrian III was born in Rome. According to Jean Mabillon, his birth name was Agapitus. Reginald L. Poole believes that Mabillon confused Adrian III, who succeeded Marinus I, with Agapetus II, who succeeded Marinus II a century later.Pontificate
Adrian laboured hard to alleviate the misery of the people of Italy, prey to famine and to continuous war. He is also known to have written a letter condemning the Christians of both Al-Andalus, Muslim-ruled and Christian-ruled parts of Spain for being too friendly with the Jews in these lands. Adrian died in July 885 at San Cesario sul Panaro (Modena), not long after embarking on a trip to Worms, Germany, Worms, in modern Germany. The purpose of the journey was to attend an Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire), Imperial Diet after being summoned by Emperor Charles the Fat to settle the imperial successionRichard P. McBrien, ''Lives of the Popes: The Pontiffs from St. Peter to John Paul II'', (HarperCollins, 2000), 143. and discuss the rising power of the Saracens. Adrian's death and subsequent burial in the church of San Silvestro Nonantola Abbey near ModenaFrançois Bougard (2002), "Hadrian III", in Philippe Levillain, ed., ''The Papacy: An Encyclopedia'', vol. 2 (New York and London: Routledge), 682. is commemorated in the sculpted reliefs () that frame the doorway of this church. His relics are found near the high altar, and his tomb at once became a popular place of pilgrimage. His cult was confirmed by Pope Leo XIII on 2 June 1891, and his feast day is celebrated on 8 July.See also
*List of Catholic saints *List of popesReferences
Further reading
*External links