Saint John IArticle Free Pass Saint John I, (born , Tuscany
[Italy]—died May 18, 526, Ravenna; feast day May 18), pope from
523 to 526. He ended the Acacian Schism (484–519), thus
reuniting the Eastern and Western churches by restoring peace
between the papacy and the Byzantine emperor Justin I. He also
ratified the Alexandrian computation of the date of Easter,
which was eventually accepted throughout the West. Unfortunately
the reunion ended friendly relations between the papacy and
Theodoric the Great, the Ostrogothic ruler at Rome. Theodoric
mistrusted the rapprochement, and his hostility flared when
Justin took harsh measures against the heretical Arian sect in
the Byzantine Empire. Theodoric was himself an Arian Christian,
and in 525 he ordered Pope John to negotiate a withdrawal of
Justin’s edict. John was the first pope to go to Constantinople,
but his attempt there to obtain a reversal of Justin’s policies
was only partly successful. After he returned to Ravenna (526),
Theodoric had him cast into pri