Baring-Gould’s sources: Roman Martyrology. In some copies of Ado, in Notker. Authorities: — Anastasius Bibliothecarius.] Sergius, a native of Palermo, son of Tiberius, said to have been a merchant of Antioch, settled there, arrived at Rome in the reign of Pope Adeodatus, and was ordained priest between the years 682 and 684.
On the death of Pope Conon in 687, three candidates were proposed for the Apostolic chair, by their conflicting partisans. The Archdeacon Paschal, the Archpriest Theodore, were supported by two rival factions; a third proposed Sergius, and carried him in triumph to the Lateran [St. John Lateran, the pope’s cathedral in Rome] palace. Each of the other candidates occupied a strong position in the city. To quell the disturbance and arrest bloodshed, the Exarch of Ravenna came to Rome, disbanded the armed partisans of the rival popes, and pronounced in favour of Sergius. Paschal had sent a large bribe to Ravenna to influence the choice of the Exarch. When the Exarch gave his preference to Sergius, he demanded of him the sum which Paschal had offered, and the churches had to be despoiled to satisfy his rapacity, and secure his ratification of the election of Sergius.
A Council had been summoned by Justinian [Byzantine emperor 527–565] II. which met in a chamber of the Imperial Palace, and from the shape of the room has acquired the title of the Council “ in Trullo.” This Council is the great authority for the discipline of the Oriental Church. Rigid in its enactments against marriage after entering into holy orders [ordination; “orders” means the sacrament by which deacons, priests and bishops are ordained], and severe against those who had married two wives, or wives under any taint, as of widowhood, actresses, or any unlawful occupation, it rejected the Roman canon which forced priests Lives of ihe Saints.
to repudiate their wives 3 it asserted the permission of Scripture and of the Apostolic Constitutions in favour of a married clergy — married, that is, to virgins and reputable wives, previous to taking orders.
Justinian signed the canons in vermilion ink, a gap was then left for the signature of the Pope, though his legates signed them;l then the patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch, and Constantinople attached their signatures. Spaces were left for the subscription of the Bishops of Thessalonica, Sardinia, Ravenna, and Corinth, who were not present. The acts of the Council were sent to Sergius, that he might put his name in the blank space reserved for it. But Sergius refused, and protested that he would die rather than attach his name to these canons.
The Emperor sent an officer of the Imperial Guard to Rome to force him to sign. But Sergius appealed to the Exarch, and troops were sent to Rome to protect the Pope \ and the Lateran was surrounded by guards. The officer of Justinian, frightened at the weapons and ferocious looks of the barbarians, hid himself in the Pope's bed, and would not leave it till Sergius had pacified his Arian [followers of Arius, who taught that the Son is a created being, not fully God] defenders, and dismissed them with a largess.
Ere the Emperor could revenge his insulted dignity, he was deposed, and his nose cut off. Before his restoration, Sergius had been dead several years.
1 Hefele says that these were the pontifical apocrisiarii, and not legates a latere, and therefore not properly qualified so to sign. Sept, g.] S. Bertellin.
