Editing Pope Vitalian (section)

===Monothelitism===
Like Eugene, Vitalian tried to restore the connection with [[Constantinople]] by making friendly advances to Emperor [[Constans II]] and to prepare the way for the settlement of the [[Monothelite]] controversy. He sent letters (synodica) announcing his elevation to the emperor and to [[Patriarch Peter of Constantinople]], who was inclined to Monothelitism. The emperor confirmed the privileges of the [[Holy See]] as head of the Church in the West and sent to Rome a codex of the Gospels in a cover of gold richly ornamented with precious stones as a good-will gesture.<ref name=miranda/>

Patriarch Peter also replied, although his answer was somewhat noncommittal as to Monothelitism, a belief he defended. In his letter, he gave the impression of being in accord with the pope. Thus ecclesiastical intercourse between Rome and Constantinople was restored. Peter's letter to Vitalian was later read during the thirteenth session of the Sixth Ecumenical Council (681) and served as the basis for Peter's condemnation as a Monothelite.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ekonomou |first=Andrew J. |title=Byzantine Rome and the Greek Popes |publisher=Lexington Books |year=2007 |isbn=9780739119778 |pages=162}}</ref> Vitalian's name was entered on the [[diptych]]s of the churches in Byzantium—the only name of a pope so entered between the pontificate of [[Honorius I]] (d. 638) and the [[Sixth Ecumenical Council]] of 680–81.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Jeffrey Richards |title=The Popes and the Papacy in the Early Middle Ages (Routledge Revivals) 476-752 |date=2014 |publisher=Taylor and Francis |isbn=9781317678175 |page=194}}</ref> 

Vitalian, alongside Peter and Constans, also played a part in the condemnation and subsequent exile of [[Maximus the Confessor]] when they issued a joint order demanding everyone to be in communion with the Church of Constantinople.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Allen |first=Pauline |title=Maximus the Confessor and his Companions: Documents from Exile |last2=Neil |first2=Bronwen |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2003 |isbn=9780198299912 |pages=24}}</ref>

Vitalian showed reciprocity toward Constans when the latter came to Rome in 663 to spend twelve days there during a campaign against the [[Lombards]]. On 5 July, the pope and members of the Roman clergy met the emperor at the sixth milestone and accompanied him to [[St. Peter's Basilica]], where the emperor offered gifts. The following Sunday, Constans went in state to St. Peter's, offered a pallium wrought with gold, and was present during the [[Mass (liturgy)|Mass]] celebrated by the pope. The emperor dined with the pope on the following Saturday, attended Mass again on Sunday at St. Peter's, and after Mass took leave of the pope. On his departure Constans removed a large number of bronze artworks, including the bronze tiles from the roof of the [[Pantheon, Rome|Pantheon]], which had been dedicated to Christian worship.<ref name="ce"/>

Constans then moved on to [[Sicily]], oppressed the population, and was assassinated at [[Syracuse, Sicily|Syracuse]] in 668. Vitalian supported Constans' son [[Constantine IV]] against the usurper [[Mezezius]] and thus helped him attain the throne. As Constantine had no desire to maintain the Monothelite decree of his father, Vitalian made use of this inclination to take a more decided stand against Monothelitism and to win the emperor over to orthodoxy. In this latter attempt, however, he did not succeed. The Monothelite [[Patriarch Theodore I of Constantinople]] removed Vitalian's name from the diptychs. It was not until the Sixth Ecumenical Council that Monothelitism was suppressed and Vitalian's name was replaced on the diptychs of the churches in Byzantium.<ref name="ce"/>