Editing Pope Theodore II (section)

== Background ==

Little is known of Theodore's background; he is recorded as being born a Roman, and the son of Photios. His brother Theodosius (or Theosius) was also a bishop.<ref name="mann">Mann (1902), pp. 88–90.</ref><ref name="kw115">Kelly, Walsh (2010), p. 115.</ref> Theodore was [[ordained]] as a priest by [[Pope Stephen V]].<ref name="mann"/>

In January 897, [[Pope Stephen VI]] held what is known as the [[Cadaver Synod]]. Because his predecessor, [[Formosus]], sided with [[Arnulf of Carinthia]] rather than Stephen's ally, [[Lambert of Spoleto]], in their struggle for the imperial dignity, Stephen had the corpse of Formosus exhumed and tried for "perjury, violating the canons prohibiting the [[translation of bishops]], and coveting the papacy".<ref>Kelly, Walsh (2010), p. 114.</ref> The dead pope was found guilty, his body thrown in the [[Tiber]], and all his acts and ordinations were annulled. Supporters of Formosus rebelled and deposed Stephen VI. His successor, [[Pope Romanus|Romanus]], is generally assumed to have been pro-Formosus, but he too was soon deposed.<ref>Kelly, Walsh (2010), pp. 114–15.</ref>