Benediktos 7 | Prosopography of the Byzantine Empire |
| Sex | M |
| Floruit | M IX |
| Dates | 844 (taq) / 858 (ob.) |
| PmbZ No. | 997 |
| Variant Names | Benedictus; pope Benedict III |
| Religion | Christian |
| Ethnicity | Roman |
| Locations | Rome (officeplace); Rome (residence); Rome; Rome (birthplace) |
| Occupation | Bishop; Priest |
| Titles | Archbishop, Rome (office); Bishop, Rome (office); Patriarch, Rome (office); Pope, Rome (office); Priest, St Callistus (Rome) (office); Subdeacon, Rome (office) |
| Textual Sources | Liber Pontificalis, ed. L. Duchesne, Le liber pontificalis. Texte, introduction et commentaire, 2 vols. (Paris, 1886-92); re-issued with 3rd vol. by C. Vogel, (Paris, 1955-57) (chronicle) |
A native of Rome, Benediktos 7 was the son of Petrus (Petros 98): Lib. Pont. 106. 1 (
Benediktos 7 was the bishop of Rome from 855 to 858, occupying the see for two years six months ten days: Lib. Pont. 106. 1. Benediktos 7 became bishop on 6 October 855 and died on 17 April 858. After the death of Leo 121 in 855, Benediktos 7 was unanimously elected as bishop of Rome; Benediktos 7 was taken from his church to the Lateran palace and installed on the papal throne: Lib. Pont. 106. 4-5. The electoral decree was sent to the Frankish emperor Louis II (Lodoïchos 1), who gave his approval to the election of Benediktos 7, but the envoys and the imperial (Frankish) ambassadors, Adalbert 2 and Bernard 3, were suborned by Arsenius the bishop of Horta (Arsenios 3) to support the rival claims of Anastasios 25 (Anastasius Bibliothecarius): Lib. Pont. 106. 6-9.
Further envoys of Benediktos 7 (Georgios 167, Maio 1, Hadrianos 11) sent to meet the imperial envoys were arrested and when Anastasios 25 with his followers entered Rome he had Benediktos 7 forcibly removed from the Lateran palace and held in custody (cf. Romanos 8, Ioannes 317 and Hadrianos 12): Lib. Pont. 106. 10-11, 13-14. However the strength of support for Benediktos 7 forced the imperial envoys to change their minds and allow Anastasios 25 to be removed and Benediktos 7 installed as bishop of Rome: Lib. Pont. 106. 17-18. The former supporters of Anastasios 25 submitted to him and the imperial envoys, who had entered into secret talks with him already, also publicly accepted him; he was then escorted back to the Lateran palace and formally consecrated as bishop of Rome: Lib. Pont. 106. 19-20.
Benediktos 7's donations to churches and monasteries are recorded at Lib. Pont. 106. 21-22, 24-29, 32, 35. He restored the churches of Santa Maria in Trastevere and of SS Peter and Marcellinus, and also the cemetery of St Mark outside the Appian Gate: Lib. Pont. 106. 30. He also repaired the baptistery of Santa Maria Maggiore: Lib. Pont. 106. 21. During his pontificate the emperor Michael III (Michael 11) sent gifts to the see of St Peter, by the hand of the monk and artist Lazarus (Lazaros 2): Lib. Pont. 106. 33. At his request the Saxon king Aethelwulf 1, on a pilgrimage to Rome, made a public distribution at St Peter's to the clergy, leading citizens of Rome and the people: Lib. Pont. 106. 34.
Benediktos 7 was buried before the doors of St Peter's: Lib. Pont. 106. 36, cf. 107. 4 (carried there by the deacons, among whom was his successor, Nicolas, i.e. Nikolaos 28). His epitaph survives: Rossi, ICVR II, p. 214. He is described as wisely spoken, learned, sober, gentle in speech, understanding, deferential and kindly: Lib. Pont. 106. 1. He is also described as very gentle and devoted to good works, handsome and clear headed, softly spoken and a kindly teacher: Lib. Pont. 106. 20.
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