Pope John II (Latin: Ioannes II; died 8 May 535), born Mercurius, was the bishop of Rome from 2 January 533 to his death. As a priest at St. Clement’s Basilica, he endowed that church with gifts and commissioned stone carvings for it.
Early life
Monogram of John II on a marble slab in St. Clement’s Basilica
Mercurius was born in Rome, son of Praeiectus. He became a priest at St. Clement’s Basilicaon the Caelian Hill, and even before becoming pope he had commissioned work for the basilica and made generous donations. The basilica still retains memorials of “Johannes surnamed Mercurius”; he donated plutei and transennae. A reference to “PresbyterMercurius” is found on a fragment of an ancient ciborium. Several marble slabs that enclose the schola cantorum bear upon them, in the style of the sixth century, his monogram.
Pontificate
Mercurius was elected pope on 2 January 533, apparently the first pope to adopt a new name upon elevation to the papacy.
The notoriously adulterous behavior of Bishop Contumeliosus of Riez caused John to order the bishops of Gaul to confine him in a monastery. Until a new bishop could be appointed, he bade the clergy of Riez to obey the Bishop of Arles.
Arianism
In 535, 217 bishops assembled in a council at Carthage submitted to John II a decision about whether bishops who had lapsed into Arianism should, on repentance, keep their rank or be admitted only to lay communion. The question of re-admittance to the lapsed troubled north Africa for centuries (see Novatianism and Donatism). The answer to their question was given by Agapetus I, as John II died on 8 May 535. He was buried in St Peter’s Basilica.