Person
Pope John XVII
head of the Catholic Church
Pope John XVII (Latin: Ioannes XVII; died December 6, 1003) is the head of the Catholic Church for a few months from May 16, to December 1003.
He was born John Sicco, the son of another John Sicco, in the region of Rome at this time referred to as Biveretica.
He succeeds Pope Sylvester II.
John XVII is nominated to the papacy by John Crescentius, a Roman noble who holds power in the city in opposition to Emperor Otto III.
John XVII's successor, Pope John XVIII, is also selected by Crescentius.
John dies on 6 December 1003 and is 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.”