Nikolaos 28 was bishop of Rome from 858 to 867. A native of Rome, he was the son of a regionarius, Theodorus (Theodoros 180): Lib. Pont. 107. 1. His father (Theodoros 180), who was a lover of the liberal arts, ensured that Nikolaos 27 had a sound education and studied the Scriptures and that he frequented the company of men of good character and learning: Lib. Pont. 107. 1-2. He was judged suitable for a clerical career, and was taken from his parental home to the Lateran palace and made a subdeacon by pope Sergius II (844/847: Sergios 60): Lib. Pont. 107. 2. Then he was made a deacon by pope Leo IV (847/855: Leo 121): Lib. Pont. 107. 3. Under pope Benedict III (855/858: Benediktos 7) he took an active part in the administration ("suaeque illum administrationi coniunxit sc. Benedictus") and was allegedly Benediktos 7's favourite adviser; still a deacon at Benediktos 7's death, he personally helped to carry the late pope's body to St Peter's and to bury it there: Lib. Pont. 107. 4.

After the death of Benediktos 7, Nikolaos 28 was chosen to succeed him as bishop of Rome, by the assembly of the clergy, nobles and leading citizens of Rome; they dragged him from St Peter's, where he had sought refuge, to the Lateran palace and installed him on the papal throne; later he was consecrated bishop of Rome in St Peter's, in the presence of the emperor Louis II (Lodoïchos 1): Lib. Pont. 107. 5-7. On the third day he dined with the emperor, whom he treated as his spiritual son, and then, when Louis II (Lodoïchos 1) had left Rome and reached St Leucius's basilica, five miles from Rome, he followed him and joined him there for further talks and celebrations before returning to Rome: Lib. Pont. 107. 7-10. He sent to Constantinople two bishops, Zacharias 19 and Radoald 1, in reply to an embassy from the emperor Michael III (Michael 11) (see Arsaber 7), to investigate issues concerning the veneration of icons and also to establish the facts in the affair involving the patriarchs Ignatios 1 and Photios 1; they allegedly exceeded their instruction in the latter affair: Lib. Pont. 107. 20, 38-39, cf. Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 516A-B (in response to a request from the patriarch Photios 1, Nikolaos 26 sent two bishops, Zacharias 19 and Radoald 1, to attend a Council at Constantinople, i.e. the Council of 861 - παρὰ Νικολάου τοῦ πάπα). Learning that they had accepted the deposition of Ignatios 1 and the appointment of Photios 1 as patriarch and had communicated with him, Nikolaos 28 wrote to the emperor and to Photios 1 withholding his acceptance of Ignatios 1's removal and Photios 1's accession: Lib. Pont. 107. 40-41. He also summoned a Council at Rome to clarify his position and to punish his envoys Zacharias 19 and Radoald 1: Lib. Pont. 107. 42, cf. 108. 10 (excommunicated Zacharias 19). According to the Life of Ignatios, when Nikolaos 28 (ὁ πάπας Νικόλαος) discovered the truth about Ignatios 1 (i.e. after the embassy of Zacharias 19 and Radoald 1), he anathematised his representatives, and also deposed and excommunicated Photios 1 and his supporters, including the emperor and senate: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 525C-D.

He received many complaints from the people of Ravenna about the misdeeds of the archbishop of Ravenna, Ioannes 215; his attempts to discipline him were unsuccessful and he finally visited Ravenna in person in order to undo some of the harm which had been done; finally Ioannes 215 came to Rome, submitted to the pope and was restored to his see by Nikolaos 28, subject to restrictions on his conduct: Lib. Pont. 107. 21-35. Nikolaos 28 restored to his office the deacon Pepo 1 whom his bishop Landulf 1 had deposed while he was still appealing to the bishop of Rome: Lib. Pont. 107. 43. He also restored to his see the bishop of Placentia, Seufred 1, expelled through the devices of the deacon Paulus (Paulos 58), and punished Paulos 58: Lib. Pont. 107. 64. He refused to sanction the wish of the Frankish emperor Lothar II (Lotharios 2) to divorce his wife Theutberga 1 and marry his mistress Waldrada 1, and he condemned the bishops and other clergy who had given Lotharios 2 their permission (at Councils in Gaul in 860 and 862): Lib. Pont. 107. 44-50. He also excommunicated Ingiltrudis 1 for abandoning her husband Boso 1: Lib. Pont. 107. 48. He sent representatives to Sardinia to check illicit marriages there, about which he had learned through Sardinians employed in his service ("per domesticos suos genere Sardos"): Lib. Pont. 107. 56-57. He investigated the case of the Frankish bishop of Soissons, Rothad 1, summoning him and his accusers to Rome, and finally at the end of the case restored him to his see: Lib. Pont. 107. 58-62. Together with Rothad 1 he sent to Gaul a representative (missus), Arsenios 3, to restore Rothad 1 to his see, to annul the marriage of Lothar II (Lotharios 2) to Waldrada 1 and to restore peace to the church in Gaul and to circulate various regulations there which conformed to apostolic tradition: Lib. Pont. 107. 63.

He was approached by the king of the Bulgars, Michael (Boris 1), in August 866 ("mense Augusto, indictione XIIII"), with gifts and a request for guidance and instruction in Christianity for the people of Bulgaria; he responded by sending two bishops, Paulos 57 and Formosus 1, to preach there; later he planned to send priests and other bishops there, but was forestalled by his own death: Lib. Pont. 107. 68-75, cf. 108. 9 (sent Formosus 1 to the Bulgars), 108. 12 (his death prevented their departure), 108. 48, 54, 61 (his role in the conversion of the Bulgars). He tried to combine this activity with the despatch of further envoys to Constantinople in connection with the affair of Photios 1 and Ignatios 1; he was at first frustrated when his envoys were refused admission to imperial territory and then by the death of the emperor Michael III (Michael 11), when the accession of Basilios 7 led to the expulsion of Photios 1 and the return of Ignatios 1 to the patriarchal throne: Lib. Pont. 107. 70-72, 75-76.

His donations to various churches and monasteries are recorded in Lib. Pont. 107. 11-14, 16-17, 36-37, 54, 79-82. He did preparatory work on rebuilding one of the aqueducts of Rome ("forma quae vocatur Iocia"; possibly the "forma Iovia", see Duchesne, Lib. Pont. II, pp. 167-8, n. 12) and built a hospice in St Maria in Cosmedin: Lib. Pont. 107. 16. He had repairs and new building work performed at S. Maria in Cosmedin: Lib. Pont. 107. 52. He also did restoration work at various cemeteries, including St Sebastian's, where he founded a monastery: Lib. Pont. 107. 53. He repaired an aqueduct taking water to St Peter's: Lib. Pont. 107. 66. He also repaired the fortifications of Ostia: Lib. Pont. 107. 67. He built a house at the Lateran palace: Lib. Pont. 107. 81. He organised the supply of food to the poor and the crippled at Rome on a daily or weekly basis by means of tokens: Lib. Pont. 107. 51.

As a child he is said to have avoided childish games; he was patient and sober and displayed humility and purity of conduct: Lib. Pont. 107. 1. He is described as handsome and well built, learned but humble in conversation, vigorous in action, devoted to fasting and to divine worship, generous to the poor, a guardian of orphans and supporter of widows, and a defender of the people: Lib. Pont. 107. 10. Many problems were referred to him for judgment and decision from the provinces, which he is said to have dealt with wisely: Lib. Pont. 107. 55. He was deeply concerned about the welfare of the poor and needy: Lib. Pont. 107. 65-66.

He died on 13 November 867 ("idus Novembris, indictione prima") and was buried before the doors of St Peter's: Lib. Pont. 107. 83. In 867 envoys from Ignatios 1 were sent to him at Rome, but he had already died and been succeeded by Hadrian II (Hadrianos 8): Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 544C.

For further information, including chronology, see the letters of Nikolaos 28. He was the addressee of two letters from the patriarch Photius (Photios 1): Photius, Ep. 288 (III 115ff. Laourdas-Westerink; spring 860), Ep. 290 (III 124ff. Laourdas-Westerink; August/September 861) (both addressed: τῷ τὰ πάντα ἁγιωτάτῳ ἱερωτάτῳ ἀδελφῷ καὶ συλλειτουργῷ Νικολάῳ πάπᾳ τῆς πρεσβυτέρας Ρώμης). The first letter announced the accession of Photios 1 to the patriarchal throne; the second was his response to the reply of Nikolaos 28 which was dated 25 September 860. In a letter of Photios 1 written in 866 to the eastern patriarchs, Nikolaos 28 is alluded to (but not named) as the bishop of the Italians who was exercising a tyranny there; Photios 1 wrote inviting the patriarchs to attend a Synod in Constantinople in 867 to condemn Nikolaos 28: Photius, Ep. 2 (I 40ff.Laourdas-Westerink).

(Publishable link for this person: )