Pope John IX facts for kids

Pope John IX (Latin: Ioannes IX) was the leader of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States from January 898 until he died in January 900.

Early Life of Pope John IX

We don't know much about John IX before he became pope. He was born in Tivoli, a town in Italy. His father's name was Rampoaldo. John IX became a Benedictine priest, which means he was part of a religious order called the Benedictines. He was made a priest by Pope Formosus.

In early 898, after Pope Theodore II died suddenly, John IX was chosen to be the new pope. He had the support of a powerful leader called the duke of Spoleto.

Pope John IX's Time as Pope

Pope John IX wanted to stop the fighting and disagreements between different groups in Rome. To do this, he held several important meetings called synods in Rome and other places in 898.

Decisions at the Synods

At these meetings, John IX made some key decisions:

• He agreed with Pope Theodore II's decision that Pope Formosus should have a proper Christian burial.
• At a meeting in Ravenna, he ordered that all records from a very unusual trial called the Cadaver Synod be burned. This trial, held by Pope Stephen VI, had unfairly judged Pope Formosus after he had died.
• John IX said that priests should not be "re-ordained" (made priests again) if they had already been ordained.
• He also gave back their positions to church leaders who had been unfairly removed by Pope Stephen VI.
• John IX also wanted to stop the bad habit of people stealing from the homes of bishops or popes when they died. He ordered that this practice should end.

Supporting the Moravians

The people of Moravia (a region in Central Europe) wanted to keep their independence from German influence. They asked Pope John IX to let them have their own church leaders. Even though the German church leaders complained, John IX agreed. He allowed them to have their own main bishop (called a metropolitan bishop) and three other bishops for Moravia.

Working with the Empire

Pope John IX believed it was important to have a strong connection between the Church and the empire. He supported Lambert of Spoleto to be the Emperor, choosing him over Arnulf of Carinthia. At a meeting in Rome, John IX also decided that future popes should only be officially recognized when representatives of the Emperor were present. This was meant to help keep peace and agreement between the Church and the empire.

However, Lambert died suddenly. This sad event ended the hopes that this alliance would bring lasting peace and strength.

Pope John IX died in the year 900. After him, Pope Benedict IV became pope.

See also

In Spanish: Juan IX para niños