ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN JANUARY
Saints celebrated on the 12th of January
JOHN VI., POPE
Pope John VI is mentioned by the Bollandists (in the section "left out ones") on January 12. He is described as zealous for religion, love, and other virtues; but he is nowhere venerated, nor is he a martyr, as indicated by some martyrologies on January 12.
ZEALOUS FOR RELIGION, LOVE, AND OTHER VIRTUES
In the life of St Agatho, Pope, on January 10, there is indeed a John (Johannes Rhegitanus), who - with some other clerics - was sent by Pope Agatho to the Greek emperors Constantinus Pogonatus, Heraclius and Tiberius. This Johannes Rhegitanus is now supposed to be our John, so named because he was then Bishop of Rhegium in Bruttiis (Reggio in Calabria).
HE SAVED THE LIFE OF ONE WHO WISHED HIM SEVERE HARM
Pope John is also mentioned in Bucelin, although not in the text, but as Venerable. According to Haas, his story is as follows: He was a Greek and was ordained on October 28, 701. The exarch Theophylact was supposed to depose of Pope Apsimarus. He had been given this mission directly by the Byzantine emperor Tiberius III. But the soldiers rose against Theophylact, who owes his life to the Pope, who intervened.
THE POPE RANSOMED ALL THE PRISONERS
In that same year 701, Duke Gisulph of Benevento had accomplished an invasion of the imperial territory of Italy and made many prisoners. Pope John, however, was able to retreat and ransomed all the prisoners.
WILFRID OF YORK'S REQUEST
In 703 Archbishop Wilfrid of York came to Rome to have domestic disputes resolved. Pope John decided in his favour; but the dispute was not yet completely resolved when the Pope died on January 9, 705. He is listed as the 86th Pope.
(Information from Stadler's Complete Encyclopedia of Saints, 1858)
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