Pope Constantine (88º): Biography, Pontificate & Legacy

Who Was Pope Constantine?

Pope Constantine — 88º in the Catholic list — reigned 25 March 708 –9 April 715 during late antiquity. Subject of the Umayyad Caliphate. This Guide Catholic profile gathers background, major acts, and legacy so you can read Constantine beside neighboring pontiffs.

Early Life & Background

Before election he was known as Constantinus. Born circa 664 Tyre, Jund al-Urdunn, Syria, Umayyad Caliphate, he entered a world shaped by politics and piety very different from today's global Church.

Historical Context

Constantine (#undefined) governed amid imperial transition, invasions, and debates over Christ's nature — Rome's bishop increasingly seen as a guardian of orthodoxy for the wider Church.

Pontificate & Key Events

The pontificate (25 March 708 –9 April 715) centered on governance during late antiquity. Was of Syrian ethnicity.

Papal Acts & Achievements

Acts associated with Constantine (#88, 25 March 708 –9 April 715) still draw historians and Catholics who want more than a one-line summary. His reign remains a link in the succession now counted at 267 popes.

Key Highlights

• 88th pope of the Catholic Church
• Pontificate: 25 March 708 –9 April 715
• Last pope to visit Greece while in office until John Paul II in 2001.
• Shepherded the Church during late antiquity
• Successor of St. Peter in the official Catholic list

Legacy in the Catholic Church

Constantine remains pope 88º in the Annuario Pontificio. Set against late antiquity, Constantine's choices show both the limits of any one pontiff and the continuity of the office he held.

Why Catholics Study This Pope Today

If you only remember one modern question about Constantine, ask how his decisions served unity and truth under the pressures of late antiquity. Start with the concrete record: Last pope to visit Greece while in office until John Paul II in 2001. Use the neighboring pontiff links below to test whether Constantine's reign looks unique or typical for late antiquity.

Place in the Line of Succession

Constantine followed Pope Sisinnius (87º, 15 January 708 –4 February 708) after a transition shaped by the politics and piety of their shared century. He was followed by Pope St. Gregory II (89º, 19 May 715 –11 February 731), whose biography continues the chain on Guide Catholic. For the full chronological map, see our complete list of all 267 popes — then read neighboring biographies for contrast, not only continuity.