VIGILIUS, pope from 537 to 555, succeeded Silverius and was followed by Pelagius I. He was ordained by order of Beli sarius while Silverius was still alive ; his elevation was due to Theodora, who had induced him to promise to disallow the council of Chalcedon, in connection with the "three chapters" controversy. But he failed to fulfil his promise, and was sum moned to Constantinople, which he reached in 547. There he issued a document known as his Judicatum (548), in which he condemned indeed the three chapters, but expressly disavowed any intentions thereby to disparage the council of Chalcedon.
After some trimming, he prepared another document, the Consti tutum ad Imperatorem, which was laid before the so-called fifth "oecumenical" council in 553, and led to his condemnation by the majority of that body, some say even to his banishment. Ultimately, however, he was induced to confirm the decrees of the council, and was allowed after an enforced absence of seven years to set out for Rome. He died at Syracuse, before he reached his destination, on June 7, 555.