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Pope Saint Gregory III

8th century Pontyfikats medal of the 8th century obverse with an image of Pope Saint Gregory III; swiped from Wikimedia Commons; uploaded by Talgraf777 Memorial

10 December
28 November on some calendars

Profile

Priest at Saint Crisogono Church in Rome, Italy; except that his father‘s name was John, nothing else is known about his life prior to being elected 90th pope by popular acclamation in 731. Noted for his learning and virtue. The beginning of his pontificate was troubled by the excesses of the iconoclasts. He called a synod in November 731 to condemn iconoclasm; iconoclast leaders responded by seizing papal territories and assets, and insisting on the ecclestiastical allegiance to the Patriarch of Constantinople. The end of Gregory’s reign was troubled by the invasions of the Lombards, against these he sought the help of Charles Martel, establishing ties with the French crown that would echo for centuries. Gregory promoted the Church in northern Europe, supporting the missions of Saint Boniface in Germany and Saint Willibald in Bohemia, bestowed palliums on Egbert of York and Saint Tatwine of Canterbury, beautified Rome, and supported monasticism in general.