Pope Leo VI

Pope Leo VI
Papacy began	June 928
Papacy ended	February 929
Predecessor	John X
Successor	Stephen VII
Personal details
Birth name	(traditionally) Sanguini
Born	Rome, Papal States
Died	February 929 Rome, Papal States

Pope Leo VI (died February 929) was Pope for just over seven months, from June 928 to his death in February 929. His pontificate occurred during the period known as the Saeculum obscurum.

Leo VI was born into a Roman family, and his father was Christophorus, who had been Primicerius under Pope John VIII around the year 876. Tradition has it that he was a member of the Sanguini family. Just immediately prior to his election as pope, Leo had been serving as the Cardinal-Priest of the church of Santa Susanna.

Leo was elected pope around June 928, during a period of anarchy. He was chosen by the senatrix Marozia, who had gained control of Rome via the domination of her husband Guy, Margrave of Tuscany, and who had ordered the imprisonment and death of Leo’s predecessor, Pope John X.

During his brief pontificate, Leo confirmed the decisions of the Synod of Split. He completed his predecessor’s investigations into the ecclesiastical situation in Dalmatia, and proceeded to give the pallium to John, Archbishop of Salona, and ordered all the bishops of Dalmatia to obey him. He also ordered the Bishop of Nona and others to limit themselves to the extent of their dioceses. Leo then issued a ban on castrati entering into a union of marriage. He also issued an appeal for help against the Arab raiders who were threatening Rome, stating that:

”Whoever died faithful in this struggle will not see himself refused entry into the heavenly kingdom.”

The French chronicler Flodoard said of him:

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