Pope Adeodatus II was the 77th pope and the second man to choose the name Adeodatus. As the first pope often used a different name, he is sometimes referred to as Pope Adeodatus I or Pope Adeodatus. This article will look at some of the information known about him.
Life as Monk
Adeodatus is one of several men who served as a monk before becoming pope. During his early life, Adeodatus felt called to the church and spent some time studying its teachings. He would later join the Order of Saint Benedict and serve in Caelian Hill in an order called St. Erasmus.
His time there led him to reject the Monothelitism teachings at the time, which thought focused on the study of Jesus, humans and the divine. He also believed that Venice had the right to choose a dodge or duke.
Papal Election
During the papal election of 672 following the death of Vitalian, the electing body chose Adeodatus as his successor. Though he took the position on April 11, he quickly set about looking for ways to distance himself from some of the issues of the time. Constant debate surrounded the idea of Monothelitism, and while he did not agree with those teachings, he did not outright reject followers of that concept.
Restoration Efforts
Pope Adeodatus II led some of the top restoration efforts of the 670s and encouraged members of the church to help. Marmoutier Abbey, which was one of the early monasteries in France, fell under his protection. The pope helped save the abbey and also called for the Holy See to leave it alone.
He also placed the Abbey of St. Peter and the Abbey of St. Paul under his protection. Also known for his feuds with Constantine I, Pope Adeodatus II experienced stress that historians believe contributed to his death. He passed away in 676 after serving as a pope for just a little more than four years.
Quick Facts About Pope Adeodatus II
- Pope Adeodatus II was born in 621 in Rome, though historians do not know his exact date of birth.
- There aren’t any records that indicate his birth name, though he did have a father named Jovinian.
- He passed away on June 17, 676.
- The Catholic Church lists his cause of death as natural causes.
- The papacy of Pope Adeodatus II began on April 11, 672.
- His papacy ended on June 17, 676 upon his death.
- Donus became the next pope after his death and was the only pope to chose that name in history.
Interesting Facts About Pope Adeodatus II
- As Pope Adeodatus I used his birth name while as pope, historical records sometimes confuse the two popes. Records occasionally list Pope Adeodatus I as Pope Adeodatus II or just Pope Adeodatus.
- Though he was only 51 when he became pope, this was considered elderly at the time. Due to his advanced age, he did not implement as many changes or introduce as many concepts as other popes did.
- Constantine I provided the pope with multiple tracts relating to the idea of monotheism, but Adeodatus rejected those tracts and refused to speak publicly on the teachings.
- Saint Peter’s Basilica is the final resting place of several popes, including both Adeodatus I and Adeodatus II. The basilica is open to the public.
- Adeodatus II served as pope for four years and passed away at the age of 55, which makes him one of the oldest popes up to that point.
- St. Martin of Tours and the Abbey of St. Peter of Canterbury saved letters that the pope wrote during his protection of those abbeys.