John VII, born in Greece, son of Plato, held the see 2 years 7 months 17 days. He was bishop in the time of emperor Tiberius and the second reign of Justinian II. He was a man of great learning and eloquence.
Inside St Peter's church he built an oratory of the holy mother of God, coloured its walls with mosaic, expended there a large amount of gold and silver, and set up images of the venerable Fathers on right and left.
He restored the basilica of St Eugenia which had for a long time been roofless and damaged.
He also worked on the cemetery of the martyrs Saints Marcellian and Mark, and that of the pontiff St Damasus.
He also provided images in various churches; whoever wants to know what he looked like will find his face depicted on them.
The Book of Pontiffs (trans. Davis), page 86. Source.
Comments