Theodore

THEODORE. - Priest of the Church of Rome, improperly counted among the antipopes.

He must probably be identified with the namesake legate of Agatho at the Sixth Ecumenical Council, held in Constantinople in 680 (Mansi, XI, 209). He was twice a candidate for the Apostolic See. The first time, on the death of John V (2 Aug. 686), he was backed by the military party in opposition to the archpriest Peter, the candidate of the clergy. After more than two months of violent clashes, "sacerdotes et clerus", joined later by the "exercitus", chose a third candidate, the venerable priest Conon (v.), consecrated on the following 21 Oct. The two contenders did not oppose this. The second time (in the meantime T. had become archpriest), on the death of the aforementioned Conon (21 Sept. 687), in opposition to the archdeacon Paschal. Both of the elected men took up residence at the Lateran, but this time too the most influential representatives of the two parties (the military class was not as united as in the previous election) agreed to choose a third candidate, the priest Sergius (v. SERGIO I, PAPA). As soon as the latter was able to penetrate into the patriarchium, forcing its doors, T. "ilico quievit ac se humiliavit", attests the Lib. Pont., while Paschal (v.) rebelled and died in his obstinacy.