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Symmachus was pope from 498 to 514.  He was born
on Sardinia, the son of Fortunatus.  He was
baptized in Rome, Italy|Rome, where he became
archdeacon of the Church under Pope Anastasius II.
 Symmachus was elected Pope on November 22, 498. 
The archpriest of Saint Praxedes, Laurence, was
elected pope by a dissenting faction with
Byzantine Empire|Byzantine sympathies.  Laurence
was supported by Emperor Roman Emperor Anastasius
I|Anastasius, but the Goths|Gothic King Theodoric
the Great ruled against him and in favor of
Symmachus.

In 501, Senator Festus accused Symmachus of
various crimes including fornication, though he
had a regular lover, Condritia, but the pope
refused to appear before the king to answer the
charges, asserting that the secular ruler had no
jurisdiction over him.  A synod called by
Theodoric in 502 amid tumult and disorder
exonerated Symmachus, according to the Catholic
Encyclopedia, which offers full details save those
of the charges, but in fact the bishops did not
clear Symmachus of any of the charges against him,
but ruled that, as pope, no human court could try
him; the judgement of pope Symmachus, according to
the synod, must be left to God alone.  Theodoric
installed Laurence in the Lateran as pope.  The
schism continued for four years until Theodoric
withdrew his support of Laurence.  At a synod held
at Rome on March 1, 499, Symmachus bestowed on
Laurence the Diocese of Nocera in Campania.  The
synod also ordained that any cleric who sought to
gain votes for a successor to the papacy during
the lifetime of the pope, or who called
conferences and held consultations for that
purpose, should be deposed.

This did not satisfy Laurence, Festus, or others
of the Byzantine party, and many other accusations
were made against Symmachus, all of which he
refused to acknowledge, on the grounds that no
secular court had jurisdiction over him. 
Eventually, Theodoric, deciding that the adherents
of Laurence were too pro-Byzantine, had him
removed from Rome, and opposition to Symmachus
eventually was stilled.

The pope contributed large sums for the support of
the Catholic bishops of Africa who were persecuted
by the rulers of the Arianism|Arian Vandals. He
also aided the inhabitants of upper Italy who
suffered from the invasions of barbarians.

==External link==
*http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14377a.htm
Catholic encyclopedia: Pope Saint Symmachus

Pope|
Predecessor=Pope Anastasius II|Anastasius II|
Successor=Pope Hormisdas|Saint
Hormisdas|Dates=498–514