# Pope Agapetus II

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{{Short description|Head of the Catholic Church from 946 to 955}}
{{Infobox Christian leader
| type = Pope
| honorific-prefix = [Pope](/source/List_of_popes)
| name = Agapetus II
| title = [Bishop of Rome](/source/Bishop_of_Rome)
| church = [Catholic Church](/source/Catholic_Church)
| image = Monetadiagapitoiiconalberico.jpg
| caption = [Denarius](/source/Denarius) of Agapetus II
| birth_name = 
| term_start = 10 May 946
| term_end = 8 November 955
| predecessor = [Marinus II](/source/Marinus_II)
| successor = [John XII](/source/Pope_John_XII)
| birth_date = about 911
| birth_place = [Rome](/source/Rome), [Papal States](/source/Papal_States)
| nationality = Roman
| death_date = 8 November 955
| death_place = Rome, Papal States
| other = Agapetus
}}

'''Pope Agapetus II''' ({{Circa|911}}{{Spaced en dash}}8 November 955) was the [bishop of Rome](/source/bishop_of_Rome) and ruler of the [Papal States](/source/Papal_States) from 10 May 946 to his death. A nominee of the [princeps](/source/princeps) of [Rome](/source/Rome), [Alberic II of Spoleto](/source/Alberic_II_of_Spoleto), his pontificate occurred during the period known as the ''[Saeculum obscurum](/source/Saeculum_obscurum)''.

==Pontificate==
He was elected [pope](/source/pope) on 10 May 946 after the death of [Marinus II](/source/Marinus_II). The existence of an independent republic of Rome, ruled by [Alberic II of Spoleto](/source/Alberic_II_of_Spoleto), meant that Agapetus was prevented from exercising any temporal or secular power in Rome and the [Papal States](/source/Papal_States). The struggle between [Berengar II](/source/Berengar_II) and [Otto I](/source/Otto_I) for the [Kingdom of Italy](/source/Kingdom_of_Italy_(medieval)) allowed Alberic to exercise complete control over Rome and Agapetus, meaning the pope was largely limited to managing internal church affairs.<ref>Mann, pgs. 226-229</ref> Even Agapetus’ invitation to Otto to intervene in Italian affairs in 951 was done at the instigation of Alberic, who was growing concerned at Berengar's growing power. However, when Otto's envoys, the bishops of [Mainz](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Mainz) and [Chur](/source/Bishop_of_Chur), were sent to the pope to discuss Otto's reception in Rome and other more important questions, they were turned away by Alberic.<ref>Gregorovius, pgs 323-324</ref>

Agapetus was forced to intervene in the dispute over the occupancy of the [See of Reims](/source/See_of_Reims). He ordered a [synod](/source/Universal_Synod_of_Ingelheim) to be held at [Ingelheim](/source/Ingelheim) in June 948 to resolve the rights of the rival claimants, [Hugh of Vermandois](/source/Hugh_of_Vermandois_(Bishop)) and [Artald of Reims](/source/Artald_of_Reims). He sent his [legate](/source/papal_legate) Marinus of Bomarzo to act on his behalf, while Agapetus wrote to a number of bishops, asking them to be present at the council.<ref>Mann, pgs. 231-232</ref> Through his legate the pope indicated his support for King [Louis IV of France](/source/Louis_IV_of_France), and gave his support for reinstalling Artald as bishop of Reims.<ref>Mann, pgs. 233-234</ref> This council was followed up by another one at [Trier](/source/Trier), where Agapetus was again represented by Marinus of Bomarzo. In 949, Agapetus held a [synod](/source/synod) in Rome, which confirmed the rulings of the two councils. It condemned the former bishop Hugh and it [excommunicated](/source/excommunicated) his father, Count [Herbert II of Vermandois](/source/Herbert_II_of_Vermandois), for his opposition to King Louis IV.<ref>Mann, pg. 234</ref>

After receiving requests from both Louis IV of France and Otto I of Germany, Agapetus granted privileges to monasteries and nunneries within their respective kingdoms. He also was sympathetic towards Otto's plans to restructure the bishoprics within Germany, which were eventually aborted due to pressure exerted by [William of Mainz](/source/William_(Archbishop_of_Mainz)).<ref>Mann, pg. 236</ref> Around 948, Agapetus granted the [Archbishop of Hamburg](/source/Roman_Catholic_Archdiocese_of_Hamburg) the right of consecrating bishops in Denmark and other northern European countries instead of the pope.<ref>Mann, pgs. 237-238</ref> The pope was also allegedly asked by a Danish king named [Frode](/source/Frode), now considered mythical, to send missionaries to his kingdom.<ref>Mann, pg. 238</ref>

Agapetus was also asked to intervene in a dispute between Herhold, [archbishop of Salzburg](/source/archbishop_of_Salzburg) and Gerard, [bishop](/source/bishop) of [Lauriacum](/source/Enns_(city)), who both claimed the title of [metropolitan](/source/metropolitan_bishop) of all [Pannonia](/source/Pannonia). Agapetus dispatched a letter to the two claimants, in which he stated that the diocese of Lauriacum had been the metropolitan church of all Pannonia before the invasion of the [Huns](/source/Huns). However, following the ravages inflicted by them, the metropolitan had transferred his [see](/source/Episcopal_see) to another city, and since that time Salzburg had been raised to an archbishopric. Consequently, both lawfully occupied their respective sees, and both were to retain their rank and diocese. Agapetus ruled that jurisdiction over western Pannonia would rest with Herhold, while the eastern part, along with the regions occupied by the [Avars](/source/Avars_(Carpathians)) and the [Moravians](/source/Moravians_(ethnic_group)), would fall under Gerard.<ref>DeCormenin, Louis Marie; Gihon, James L., ''A Complete History of the Popes of Rome, from Saint Peter, the First Bishop to Pius the Ninth'' (1857), pg. 291</ref>

In Italy, Agapetus wrote to the dukes of [Beneventum](/source/Duchy_of_Benevento) and [Capua](/source/Principality_of_Capua), demanding that monasteries be returned to the monks whom they had displaced. He also deposed the bishops of [Termoli](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Termoli-Larino) and [Trivento](/source/Roman_Catholic_Diocese_of_Trivento) who were accused of [simony](/source/simony). Hoping to rejuvenate the religious life of the clerics in Italy, Agapetus, with the blessing of Alberic, asked for the [abbot](/source/abbot) of [Gorze Abbey](/source/Gorze_Abbey) to send some of his monks down and join the monastic community attached to the church of [Saint Paul Outside the Walls](/source/Saint_Paul_Outside_the_Walls).<ref>Mann, pgs. 238-240</ref>

Agapetus died on 8 November 955, and was succeeded by Alberic's son, Octavian, who took the papal name of [John XII](/source/Pope_John_XII). He was buried in the [Lateran basilica](/source/Lateran_basilica), behind the apse, and close to the tombs of [Leo V](/source/Pope_Leo_V) and [Paschal II](/source/Paschal_II).<ref>Mann, pg. 240</ref> Agapetus was noted for his caution and for the sanctity with which he led his life.<ref>Gregorovius, pg. 321; Mann, pg. 225</ref>
thumb|276x276px|16th century depiction of Agapetus II

==References==
* Gregorovius, Ferdinand, ''The History of Rome in the Middle Ages, Vol. III'' (1895)
* Mann, Horace K., ''The Lives of the Popes in the Early Middle Ages, Vol. IV: The Popes in the Days of Feudal Anarchy, 891-999'' (1910)

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{commonscat-inline}}
*{{Wikisource author-inline}}
*[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01203a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia article on Agapetus II]
*[http://www.documentacatholicaomnia.eu/01_01_0946-0955-_Agapetus_II.html Opera Omnia by Migne Patrologia Latina with analytical indexes] {{inlang|la}}
*[https://archive.org/details/complete-surviving-papal-letters-and-privileges-from-the-saeculum-obscurum-904-964 Complete (AI-assisted) English translation of Agapetus' surviving letters]

{{s-start}}
{{s-rel|ca}}
{{s-bef|before=[Marinus II](/source/Marinus_II)}}
{{s-ttl|title=[Pope](/source/Pope)|years=946–955}}
{{s-aft|after=[John XII](/source/Pope_John_XII)}}
{{s-end}}

{{Popes}}
{{Catholicism}}
{{History of the Catholic Church}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Agapetus 02}}
Category:Popes
Category:Italian popes
Category:955 deaths
Category:Year of birth unknown
Category:10th-century popes
Category:Burials at the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pope Agapetus II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Agapetus_II) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Agapetus_II?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.