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John XVII

d. 1003

Pope

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About John XVII

John XVII was an Italian catholic priest.

Pope John XVII (; died 6 November 1003), born John Sicco, was the bishop of Rome and nominal ruler of the Papal States for about seven months in 1003. He was one of the popes chosen and eclipsed by the patrician John Crescentius.

Family

John Sicco was the son of another John Sicco, and was born in the region of Rome then referred to as Biveretica. Before entering the priesthood, Sicco had been married and had three sons who also entered holy orders: John, bishop of Praeneste; Peter, a deacon; and Andrew, a secundicerius.

Pontificate John XVII succeeded Sylvester II as pope on 16 May 1003. He was nominated to the papacy by John Crescentius, a Roman noble who held power in the city in opposition to Emperor Otto III. John XVII approved of a mission led by Bruno of Querfurt to Eastern Europe. Bruno also requested John XVII to authorize his companion Benedict to evangelize among the Slavs.

John died on 6 November 1003 and was buried in the Lateran Basilica between the two doors of the principal façade. According to John the Deacon, his epitaph began by stating that "here is the tomb of the supreme John, who is said to be pope, for so he was called." John XVII's successor, John XVIII, was also selected by Crescentius.

Footnotes

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Important facts

Born
Rapagnano
Occupation
Nationality
Positions held
Pope
Also known as
John Sicco, Pope John XVII, Ioannes XVII

Frequently asked questions

Who was John XVII?

pope

When was John XVII born?

John XVII was born in Rapagnano.

When did John XVII die?

John XVII died on 12 December 1003 in Rome.

What was John XVII's occupation?

John XVII was a catholic priest.

What nationality was John XVII?

John XVII was Italian.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John XVII

· Wikidata: Q227963

· DBpedia: Pope John XVII

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John XVII. https://biography.guide/john-xvii/

MLA: "John XVII." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-xvii/.

Chicago: "John XVII." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-xvii/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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