# Pope John VIII

_Head of the Catholic Church from 872 to 882_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/pope-john-viii
Last updated: 2026-11-03

> Pope John VIII (Latin: Ioannes VIII; died 16 December 882) was the bishop of Rome and leader of the Papal States from 14 December 872 to his death. He is often considered one of the most able popes of the 9th century.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 820 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P19))
- **Died:** 16 December 882 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P570))
- **Place of death:** Rome ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P20))
- **Citizenship:** Papal States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P27))
- **Occupation:** Catholic priest; writer ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P106))
- **Positions held:** Pope (17 December 872 – 16 December 882) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504#P39))

## About

John devoted much of his papacy to attempting to halt and reverse the Muslim gains in southern Italy and their march northwards. When his efforts to obtain assistance from either the Franks or the Byzantines failed, John strengthened the defences of Rome. He supported Methodius of Thessalonica in his mission to the Slavs, defended him against the Carolingian rulers and Bavarian clergy, and authorized the translation of the Bible into Old Church Slavonic. John also extended diplomatic recognition to the Duchy of Croatia and resolved the Photian schism. John's pontificate ended with his assassination, and the papacy became significantly weaker in the aftermath.

## Questions

**When was Pope John VIII born?**  
Pope John VIII was born on 820 in Rome.

**What positions has Pope John VIII held?**  
Positions held by Pope John VIII include: Pope (0872–0882).

## Related

- [Pope Telesphorus](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-telesphorus)
- [Pope Gregory XIII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-gregory-xiii)
- [Pope Clement VII](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-clement-vii)
- [Pope Pius I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-pius-i)
- [Pope Boniface I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-boniface-i)
- [Pope Agapetus I](https://diginpl.com/people/pope-agapetus-i)

## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Pope John VIII](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_VIII) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q170504](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170504) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: Ludvi2 Jan8.jpg by Anonymous Unknown author (Public domain)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ludvi2_Jan8.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Pope John VIII, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: Ludvi2 Jan8.jpg — Anonymous Unknown author, Public domain.

## Cite this page

"Pope John VIII". DigiNepal. Last updated 3 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/pope-john-viii. Retrieved 5 November 2026.