Pope Lando facts for kids

Pope Lando was the leader of the Catholic Church and the ruler of the Papal States (a country in Italy controlled by the Pope) from about September 913 until his death in March 914. His time as Pope was very short and happened during a confusing period in history called the Saeculum obscurum, which means "the dark age."

Who Was Pope Lando?

Lando was born in a place called Sabina, which was part of the Papal States. His father was a rich man named Taino, who was a Lombard count. A count was a powerful noble, like a duke or an earl.

Historians have different ideas about how long Lando was Pope. Some records say he was Pope for only about four months. Other records suggest he was Pope for around six months. We know his time as Pope ended sometime between February and April of 914. This is when his successor, John X, was chosen.

His Time as Pope

Pope Lando was likely chosen by a very powerful couple in Rome: Count Theophylact I of Tusculum and Senatrix Theodora. These two people had a lot of control over Rome. They managed the Pope's money and also controlled the city's army and government.

During Lando's short time as Pope, there were some challenges. Arab raiders were active in southern Italy. They attacked from their base near the Garigliano river. These raiders destroyed a church called San Salvatore in Vescovio, which was in Lando's home area.

What Pope Lando Did

Pope Lando did not leave behind many official documents from his time as Pope. However, one important thing he did is recorded. He made a large personal gift to his home area, the diocese of Sabina.

He gave this money to help rebuild the San Salvatore church that the Arab raiders had destroyed. This gift allowed the priests and other church workers, who had moved away to Toffia, to return to their church. This shows he cared about his home region and its people.