Silvester III
Birth name	John
Papacy began	January, 1045
Papacy ended	May, 1045
Predecessor	Benedict IX
Successor	Benedict IX
Born	??? Rome, Italy
Died	1062 or 1063 Sabina, Italy
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Silvester III, né John of Crescenzi – Ottaviani family (born in Rome; probably died in 1062 or 1063); was Pope in 1045. When Pope Benedict IX (1032–44, 1045, 1047–48) was driven from Rome in September, 1044, John, bishop of Sabina, was elected after fierce and protracted infighting and took the title of Silvester III in January 1045. He was later charged, probably falsely, with having bribed his way into the election. Benedict IX issued an excommunication of the new Pope and within three months returned to Rome and expelled his rival, who himself returned to Sabina to again take up his office of bishop in that diocese. Nearly two years later (December 1046) the Council of Sutri deprived him of his bishopric and priesthood and ordered him sent to a monastery. This sentence was obviously suspended because he continued to function and was recognized as Bishop of Sabina until at least 1062. A successor bishop to the see of Sabina is recorded for October 1063, indicating that John must have died prior to this date. Vatican coat of arms This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ... Benedict IX, né Theophylactus (Rome, ca. ... Benedict IX, né Theophylactus (Rome, ca. ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2. ... Sabina, the region in the Sabine Hills of Latium named for the Sabines, is the ancient territory that is today identified with the Province of Rieti, in Lazio (Roman Latium). ... City motto: Senatus Populusque Romanus – SPQR (The Senate and the People of Rome) Founded 21 April 753 BC mythical, 1st millennium BC Region Latium Mayor Walter Veltroni (Left-Wing Democrats) Area  - City Proper  1285 km² Population  - City (2004)  - Metropolitan  - Density (city proper) 2. ... The Pope (from Greek: pappas, father; from Latin: papa, Papa, father) is the successor of St. ... Benedict IX, né Theophylactus (Rome, ca. ... Sabina, the region in the Sabine Hills of Latium named for the Sabines, is the ancient territory that is today identified with the Province of Rieti, in Lazio (Roman Latium). ... The Council of Sutri (or Synod of Sutri) was called by Pope Gregory VI at the behest of Henry III, Holy Roman Emperor and opened on December 20, 1046. ... The Tikse monastery in Ladakh, India A monastery is the habitation of monks, derived from the Greek word for a hermits cell. ...

While the right of Silvester III to be considered an authentic Pope is open to some question, and some consider him to have been an antipope, he continues to be listed as an official Pope in Vatican lists. A similar situation applies to both Pope Gregory VI (1045–46) and Pope Clement II (1046–47). For the antipope of the same name, see antipope Gregory VI Gregory VI, né John Gratian, date of birth unknown; elected 1 May 1045; abdicated at the Council of Sutri on 20 December 1046; died probably at Cologne, in the beginning of 1048. ... Clement II, né Suidger of Morsleben (born Hornburg, Lower Saxony, Germany, 1005 – died October 9, 1047), Pope from December 25, 1046 to October 9, 1047). ...

LINK

• http://www.serlupi.it/Crescenzi.html