“Habemus Papam!” At the time of this writing, May of 2025, the conclave of cardinals in Rome elected Robert Prevost, of Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., Pope Leo XIV. We pray for him and his successful tenure as 267th pope and shepherd of the Catholic Church. Well and good!
We also honor St. John I, pope and martyr, who was elected in AD 523 and was martyred in AD 526 at the hands of a heretic king. St. Martin I was the last pope to be martyred in AD 653. Nonetheless, every pope is the successor to Peter, the Rock, who was told by Jesus: “‘Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’”
Pope St. John I was martyred because he succeeded in accomplishing what Theodoric, the Arian King of Italy, requested of him: accommodations with the Byzantine emperor to avoid persecution of the Arians in the East. Such was St. John’s success that Theodoric suspected him of conspiracy with the emperor and thus imprisoned him upon his return to Italy with the favorable news! St. John died in prison.
Every pope is called to witness the faith. Pope Leo XIV stated: “I also want to … walk together with you, as a united Church always seeking peace, justice, always trying to work as men and women faithful to Jesus Christ, without fear, to proclaim the Gospel, to be missionaries.” St. John I, pray for us!
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