Phocas had a gilded statue of himself erected on a monumental column in the Roman Forum only three weeks after Boniface III's consecration, and in 609 by iussio authorized the conversion of the Pantheon into a Christian church, the first pagan Roman temple so converted. Boniface III was able to obtain an imperial proclamation declaring Rome as 'the head of all the churches' (reaffirming Justinian I's naming the pope 'the first among all the priests'), a decree Phocas intended as much to humiliate the Patriarch of Constantinople as exalt the pope. Pope Boniface III was very likely of Greek extraction, making him the 'Easterner on the papal throne' in 607 (many authors incorrectly regard Pope Theodore I, who reigned from 642 to 649, as the first Eastern pope of the Byzantine papacy). The prestige of Gregory I ensured a gradual incorporation of Eastern influence, which retained the distinctiveness of the Roman church Gregory's two successors were chosen from his former apocrisiarii to Constantinople, in an effort to gain the favor of Phocas, whose disputed claim to the throne Gregory had enthusiastically endorsed. This abated factionalism for the next four successions, each resulting in quick elections and imperial approval. noble laymen) should meet to elect a successor, each voting according to his conscience. Pope Boniface III issued a decree denouncing bribery in papal elections and forbidding discussion of candidates for three days after the funeral of the previous pope thereafter, Boniface III decreed that the clergy and the 'sons of the Church' (i.e. The continuing power of appointment of the Byzantine emperor can be seen in the legend of Pope Gregory I writing to Constantinople, asking them to refuse his election. Anti-Byzantine sentiment could also be found throughout the Italian peninsula, and reception of Greek theology in Latin circles was more mixed. Before long, the citizens of Rome petitioned Justinian to recall Narses (who captured Rome in 552), declaring that they would rather still be ruled by the Goths. ДЄlthough the Byzantine troops that captured Italy called themselves Romans, many inhabitants of the city had a deep-seated mistrust of Greeks, and Hellenistic influence more generally. Justinian's successors would continue the practice for over a century. The Column of Phocas, the only extant public monument erected in seventh-century Rome by the Byzantines ДЄfter his invasion of Italy during the Gothic War (535вЂ“554), Emperor Justinian I forced Pope Silverius to abdicate and installed Pope Vigilius, a former apocrisiarius to Constantinople in his place Justinian next appointed Pope Pelagius I, holding only a 'sham election' to replace Vigilius afterwards, Justinian was content to be limited to the approval of the pope, as with Pope John III after his election. Rome under the Greek popes constituted a 'melting pot' of Western and Eastern Christian traditions, reflected in art as well as liturgy. Greek-speakers from Greece, Syria, and Sicily replaced members of the powerful Roman nobles in the papal chair during this period. With the exception of Martin I, no pope during this period questioned the authority of the Byzantine monarch to confirm the election of the bishop of Rome before consecration could occur however, theological conflicts were common between pope and emperor in the areas such as monothelitism and iconoclasm. Justinian I conquered the Italian peninsula in the Gothic War (535вЂ“554) and appointed the next three popes, a practice that would be continued by his successors and later be delegated to the Exarchate of Ravenna. The Byzantine Papacy was a period of Byzantine domination of the Roman papacy from 537 to 752, when popes required the approval of the Byzantine Emperor for episcopal consecration, and many popes were chosen from the apocrisiarii (liaisons from the pope to the emperor) or the inhabitants of Byzantine-ruled Greece, Syria, or Sicily. The Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, consecrated in 547, combines Western and Byzantine elements.

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