Tags: Pope.
Antipope John VIII or Antipope John was an Antipope of the Roman Catholic Church during the year of 844. On the death of Pope Gregory IV the Archdeacon John was proclaimed Pope by popular acclamation while the nobility elected Pope Sergius II a Roman of noble birth. The opposition was suppressed with Sergius intervening to save John’s life. Sergius was then consecrated immediately without seeking the ratification of the Frankish court.