Pope John II

John II († May 8 535) was from 2 January 533 until his death Pope.

His birth name was Mercurius, he was the son of Projectus and was born in Rome. He was the first pope who changed his name after his election, because he did not want to bear the name of the Roman god Mercurius as Pope.

In the Liber Pontificalis is reported that he had received a personal confession of faith by the Byzantine emperor Justinian I, as precious gifts. He stipulated that the election of the Pope to the approval of the Ostrogothic king needed; this right was later transferred to the Eastern Roman Emperor.

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