RC_NewProtestants
Senior Veteran
- May 2, 2006
- 2,766
- 63
- Faith
- Protestant
- Marital Status
- Married
- Politics
- US-Republican
The point is that their power was weakened to the point where they were not a major threat anymore.
Of course the Ostrogoths were just one of many tribes that threatened the Roman terrortory before and after they moved the capital to the East. If you read about Justinian you would know that he did not take orders from the Pope. Justinian had his own idea of who should be pope and desposed a pope and put his own in.
http://www.roman-emperors.org/justinia.htmAll this happened on the eve of Belisarius' invasion of Italy and Justinian may have had strategic reasons for wanting to keep the pope on his side. But when Agapetus died shortly after consecrating a successor to Anthimus, Theodora, apparently with Justinian's support, plotted to have elected as the next pope Vigilius, a deacon who had come to Constantinople with Agapetus and promised flexibility. But before Vigilius could return to Rome, a new pope, Silverius, the son of Pope Hormisdas, had been chosen with Theodahad's backing. However, during the one year and nine day siege of Rome by the Goths, Silverius was deposed by Belisarius and Antonina at Theodora's behest and replaced by Vigilius. Thus it was Vigilius who represented Rome and Catholicism during the 'Three Chapters' dispute.
But that really did not cause them to get along even with his own guy as pope. Justinian did set an example which was followed for quite a while where the Emperors actually decided who was going to be pope.
http://www.roman-emperors.org/justinia.htmJustinian had his way in the end, but Vigilius did not give up the fight until February 554 when at last he anathematized the 'Three Chapters'. By then he was a sick man and he died on his way back to Rome, where his body was refused interment in St. Peter's basilica. As his successor Justinian chose the papal nuncio Pelagius who had vigorously defended the 'Three Chapters' while the dispute was raging, but, now that he was offered the papal throne on condition that he accept the condemnation, he accepted. The Roman populace was hostile, but Narses and his troops maintained firm control and Pelagius was ordained by two bishops and a presbyter, for the usual compliment of three bishops could not be mustered. Little by little Pelagius won acceptance in Italy south of the Po River, though Italy north of the Po remained hostile until the Lombard invasion made unity seem more essential.
Upvote
0