John V
John · 685 – 686
The first pope of Syrian origin, he was elected by the clergy and people of Rome without imperial interference.
John V was a Syrian who had served as a papal legate to the Third Council of Constantinople. He became pope in 685 and reigned for about a year. His election by the clergy and people of Rome, rather than by imperial appointment, reasserted the traditional method of choosing a bishop. He worked to resolve disputes over taxation in southern Italy.
Why He Matters
John V's election reasserted that the bishop of Rome should be chosen by his own people, not imposed by an emperor. That principle, fought over for centuries, remains fundamental to how the Church governs itself.