Pope John IV (Papacy 640 A.D. - 642 A.D.).

Illustration: “The Lives And Times Of The Popes”,

by Chevalier Artaud de Montor, New York:

The Catholic Publication Society of America, 1911.

Originally published in 1842.

Date: 9 June 2013.

Source: https://archive.org/details/thelivesandtimes02artauoft

Author: Artaud de Montor (1772–1849).

(Wikimedia Commons)

Text from Wikipedia - the free encyclopædia,

unless stated otherwise.

Pope John IV (Latin: Ioannes IV; ☩ 12 October 642 A.D.) was The Bishop of Rome from 24 December 640 A.D. to his death in 642 A.D., aged fifty-five. His Election followed a four-month vacancy in The Papacy at Rome. He wrote to the Clergy of Ireland and Scotland to tell them of the mistakes they were making with regard to the time of keeping Easter, and he condemned Monothelitism as Heresy.

Pope John IV was a native of Iadera, Dalmatia.[1] He was the son of the Scholasticus (Advocate), Venantius. At the time of his Election, he was Archdeacon of The Roman Church, an important role in governing The See.

Pope John was considered "a very cultured man".[2] At his Consecration on 24 December 640 A.D., which followed very soon after his Election, it is supposed that the Election was being confirmed by The Exarch of Ravenna, rather than directly by The Emperor in Constantinople.[3]

While still only Pope-Elect, John, with the other Bishops of The Catholic Church, wrote to the Clergy of Ireland and Scotland to tell them of the mistakes they were making with regard to the time of keeping Easter, and exhorted them to be on their guard against the Pelagian Heresy.

About the same time, he condemned Monothelitism as Heresy. Emperor Heraclius immediately disowned the Monothelite document known as the "Ecthesis". To Heraclius' son, Constantine III, John addressed his Apology for Pope Honorius I, in which he deprecated the attempt to connect the name of Honorius with Monothelitism. Pope Honorius I, he declared, in speaking of “One Will in Jesus”, only meant to assert that there were not two contrary Wills in Him.[3]

Troubles in his native land, caused by invasions of Slavs, directed John's attention there. To alleviate the distress of the inhabitants, John sent the Abbot Martin into Dalmatia and Istria with large sums of money for the redemption of captives.

As the ruined Churches could not be rebuilt, the Relics of some of the more important Dalmatian Saints were brought to Rome. Pope John then erected an Oratory in their honour.[1] It was adorned by the Pope with mosaics, depicting Pope John holding in his hands a model of his Oratory.

Pope John endeavoured, thereby, to convert The Slavs in Dalmatia and Istria to Christianity. Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus claimed that Duke Porga of Croatia, who had been invited into Dalmatia by Heraclius, sent to Emperor Heraclius for Christian teachers. It is supposed that the Emperor, to whom this message was sent, was Emperor Heraclius, himself, and that he sent it to Pope John IV.[3]

Pope John IV was buried in the Basilica of Saint Peter.