Zacharias of Rome Our father among the saints Zacharias of Rome,
also Zachary of Rome, was the Pope of Rome from 741 to 752. He
was the last pope of the period of 537 to 752 during which popes
required the approval of the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire
for episcopal consecration. Zacharias was known as a wise and
subtle diplomat. His feast day is March 15. Little is known of
his early life. Zacharias was from a Greek family of Calabria
whose father was called Polichrinius. He was probably born in
679. He was a deacon of the Church of Rome who had a close
relationship with Pope Gregory III and had signed the decrees of
the Roman council of 732. After the death and burial of Pope
Gregory in November 741, Zacharias was elected his successor
unanimously and then consecrated and enthroned on December 5.
Soon Zacharias became involved in the alliances of his
predecessor with the Lombards. Finding the alliance with Duke
Trasamund of Spoleto was not protecting the Papal cities from
the actions of the Lombard kin