Paschal
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Paschal
(antipope 687: d. 692)
His background is unknown, but he was archdeacon of Rome under Conon, and was ambitious to succeed him. Confident that the elderly, ailing pontiff had not long to live, he wrote to the new Byzantine exarch at Ravenna, John Platyn, promising him a hundred pounds of gold if he would ensure his election; he hoped to recoup himself from the bequests he knew the pope was planning to leave to the clergy and others. John agreed, and privately instructed the officials he had appointed to govern Rome to arrange for Paschal's election. On Conon's death, however, the succession was disputed, one faction (probably comprising the officials) electing Paschal, but another the archpriest Theodore. The two rivals were barricaded with their supporters in separate parts of the Lateran palace. When it became clear that neither group would give way, a meeting of leading civic officials, army officers, and the majority of the clergy (particularly the priests), as well as citizens, was held in the imperial palace on the Palatine and elected a compromise candidate, Sergius, titular priest of Sta Susanna. With the people acclaiming him as pope, Sergius was conducted to the Lateran and, the gates having been stormed, was installed there to await the exarch's ratification. When Theodore saw how things stood, he made his submission to Sergius, but Paschal had to be forced against his will to do so; he wrote secretly to John Platyn, urging him to come in person to Rome and making renewed promises if he would overturn the election. Without announcement John came, but when he discovered that Sergius' election had been regular and had massive support he decided he had no option but to ratify it. Paschal continued, nevertheless, to intrigue against the pope, and was canonically arraigned, deposed from the archidiaconate, and imprisoned in a monastery on the charge of magical practices. He died there five years later, obdurately impenitent.
Previous (chronologically): Theodore, Conon, John V
Next (chronologically): St Sergius I, John VI, John VII
His background is unknown, but he was archdeacon of Rome under Conon, and was ambitious to succeed him. Confident that the elderly, ailing pontiff had not long to live, he wrote to the new Byzantine exarch at Ravenna, John Platyn, promising him a hundred pounds of gold if he would ensure his election; he hoped to recoup himself from the bequests he knew the pope was planning to leave to the clergy and others. John agreed, and privately instructed the officials he had appointed to govern Rome to arrange for Paschal's election. On Conon's death, however, the succession was disputed, one faction (probably comprising the officials) electing Paschal, but another the archpriest Theodore. The two rivals were barricaded with their supporters in separate parts of the Lateran palace. When it became clear that neither group would give way, a meeting of leading civic officials, army officers, and the majority of the clergy (particularly the priests), as well as citizens, was held in the imperial palace on the Palatine and elected a compromise candidate, Sergius, titular priest of Sta Susanna. With the people acclaiming him as pope, Sergius was conducted to the Lateran and, the gates having been stormed, was installed there to await the exarch's ratification. When Theodore saw how things stood, he made his submission to Sergius, but Paschal had to be forced against his will to do so; he wrote secretly to John Platyn, urging him to come in person to Rome and making renewed promises if he would overturn the election. Without announcement John came, but when he discovered that Sergius' election had been regular and had massive support he decided he had no option but to ratify it. Paschal continued, nevertheless, to intrigue against the pope, and was canonically arraigned, deposed from the archidiaconate, and imprisoned in a monastery on the charge of magical practices. He died there five years later, obdurately impenitent.
Previous (chronologically): Theodore, Conon, John V
Next (chronologically): St Sergius I, John VI, John VII
