John VII
John · 705 – 707
A patron of art and Marian devotion who built an oratory in St. Peter's but was criticized for failing to stand up to the emperor.
John VII was the son of a Byzantine official and the first pope of Greek parentage in several generations. He was a significant patron of art and built a richly decorated oratory dedicated to the Virgin Mary inside old St. Peter's. He also commissioned important mosaics and frescoes across Rome. However, when Emperor Justinian II sent him the Quinisext canons for his approval, John returned them without comment, neither accepting nor rejecting them. This was seen as a failure of nerve.
Beauty Without Backbone
John VII filled Rome with beautiful art and built a stunning chapel for the Virgin Mary. But when a doctrinal challenge arrived on his desk, he sent it back unanswered. He could commission mosaics but could not bring himself to confront an emperor. It is possible to be a gifted builder and a weak leader at the same time.