Saint John I was pope from 523 to 526, during the rule of the Arian king Theodoric in Italy. Theodoric sent him to Constantinople to negotiate with Emperor Justin I on behalf of Arian Christians, making him the first pope to travel to the Eastern capital, where he was received with great honor. Dissatisfied with the mission's outcome, Theodoric imprisoned him in Ravenna on his return, where he died of ill treatment in 526 and is venerated as a martyr.
John accepted a dangerous mission for the sake of peace and the unity of the Church, and he remained faithful even when it cost him his freedom and his life. His witness shows that fidelity to Christ may demand suffering at the hands of the powerful, and that such suffering borne patiently becomes a victory.
O God, who crowned Saint John I with martyrdom for his fidelity to your Church, grant that we may bear witness to the truth with courage and constancy. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.