Pope John XIX

Infobox Pope
English name=John XIX


birth_name=Romanus
term_start=May, 1024
term_end=October, 1032
predecessor=Benedict VIII
successor=Benedict IX
birth_date=???
birthplace=Rome, Italy
dead=dead|death_date=October, 1032
deathplace=Rome, Italy
other=John

John XIX (born in Rome, died October 1032), born Romanus, was Pope from 1024 to 1032.

He succeeded his brother, Pope Benedict VIII (1012–24), both being members of the powerful house of Tusculum. When elected Pope John XIX he was an unordained layman. Therefore, he was ordained a bishop in order to enable him to ascend the papal chair, having previously been a consul and senator.

Against the grain of ecclesiastical history, John XIX agreed, upon being paid with a large bribe, to grant to the Patriarch of Constantinople the title of an ecumenical bishop. However, this proposal excited general indignation throughout the Church, thus compelling him almost immediately to withdraw from his agreement.

On the death of the Emperor Henry II (1002–24) in 1024, he gave his support to Emperor Conrad II (1024–39), who along with his consort was crowned with great pomp at St. Peter's Basilica on Easter of 1027.

In 1025 he sent the crown to Poland and blessed the coronation of the Polish king Bolesław Chrobry.

On 6 April 1027, John held a Lateran synod in which he declared for the patriarch of Aquileia against that of Grado, giving its bishop (then Poppo) the patriarchal dignity and putting the bishop of Grado under his jurisdiction. In fact, the patriarch took precedence over all Italian bishops. In 1029, John revoked his decision and reaffirmed all the dignities of Grado. John also gave a bull to Byzantius, Archbishop of Bari, endowing him with the right to consecrate his own twelve suffragans after the reattachment of the Bariot diocese to Rome in 1025.

After John XIX's death, his nephew, Pope Benedict IX (1032–44, 1045, 1047–48), was found as a successor, although he was still young: according to some sources, he was only 12, but he was more likely to have been about 18 or 20.

Note that the next Pope named John was Pope John XXI (1276–77) and there is no Pope John XX (see article for explanation).