Agapetus

(d.536). Bishop of Rome from 535. A Roman by birth, he succeeded John II as pope in June 535. One of his first acts was to repeal the anathemas of Boniface II against Dioscorus* (530). The following year he visited Constantinople, arriving there in February 536. His mission was to avert the war threatened by Justianian against Theodahad, and although he failed in this he was successful in another respect. In 535 Anthimus, a Monophysite, had been appointed patriarch of Constantinople through the influence of Theodora. Agapetus refused to acknowledge him, demanding proof of the emperor's orthodoxy and denouncing Anthimus's heresy. Anthimus was deposed and Mennas became patriarch. Agapetus followed his success against Anthimus by denouncing the other heretics who had come to Constantinople through Theodora's influence. He died in Constantinople on 21 April and was buried at St. Peter's, Rome, on 17 September.