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Pope Gregory III,
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Pope Gregory III,
pope (
731-
741), a
Syrian by birth, succeeded
Gregory II in March 731. His pontificate, like that of his predecessor, was disturbed by the
iconoclastic controversy in the
Byzantine Empire, in which he vainly invoked the intervention of
Charles Martel. Also during his reign he conferred the
pallium on
Saint Boniface in
Germany,
Willibald in
Bohemia, and
Bede in
England carried on their most successful missionary labours. He died on
November 29, 741.
Elected by popular acclamation, he was the last pope to seek the
Byzantine exarch's mandate.
Gregory immediately appealed to the Byzantine Emperor
Leo III to moderate his position on the
iconoclastic controversy. When this elicited no response, Gregory called a
synod in November 731, denouncing iconoclasm, and excommunicating destroyers of icons. When a messenger carrying the decrees reached the Emperor the latter decided to bring the Pope under control. This included appropriating papal territories, and transferring ecclesiastical jurisdictions to the
Patriarch of Constantinople.
Gregory's support of the empire led him to help contribute to the recapture of
Ravenna after it had fallen to the
Lombards in
733. However, he also sought to fortify Rome and seek alliance with opponents of the Lombard monarch
Liutprand and then from the
Franks. He sent embassies to
Charles Martel, who made no response, having his own priorities.
Gregory promoted the Church in
northern Europe - such as the missions of
Saint Boniface in
Germany and Willibald in
Bohemia. He also bestowed palliums on
Egbert of York and
Tatwine,
Archbishop of Canterbury. He also beautified
Rome and supported
monasticism.
Feast day:
November 28.
Pope|
Predecessor=
Saint Gregory II|
Successor=
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