![[Pope John XIX]](pope0145.jpg "??kb jpg portrait of Pope John XIX, date unknown, artist unknown; please do not write to ask about the image")
Reigned from 1024 to 1032.
Born in Rome, Italy as Romanus; died there.
A brother of Benedict VIII, he was a layman at the time of his election.
As pope he refused the request of the Eastern emperor, Basil II, to allow the Byzantine patriarchs to assume the title "AEcumenical patriarch"; crowned Conrad the Salian emperor, 1027; allowed the subjects of King Canute of Denmark and England to travel to Italy free of customs duties; and settled a dispute between the archbishops of Milan and Ravenna in favor of the former.
A patron of art, he encouraged the musician, Guido of Arezzo, and decorated many buildings in Rome.
New Catholic Dictionary
