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Why did Justinian I hold Pope Vigilius in Constantinople?

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Mosaic detail of Emperor Justinian I with a jeweled crown and halo, wearing ornate robes, from the Church of San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. — Justinian I Justinian I, detail of a mosaic in the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy.

Justinian I forced Pope Vigilius to come to Constantinople in 545 to pressure him into condemning the "Three Chapters"—a set of writings that the emperor hoped to denounce to appease Monophysite Christians in Syria and Egypt.1

Justinian sought to resolve a deep theological divide between the orthodox view established at the Council of Chalcedon and the Monophysite teaching regarding the nature of Christ. By condemning these specific writings, Justinian aimed to create a compromise that would prevent the loss of key provinces.1

Vigilius’s presence in the capital was intended to secure his official support for this imperial policy. Despite being subjected to intense pressure and ill-treatment, the Pope long vacillated, leading to a prolonged conflict known as the "Three Chapters Controversy." This dispute eventually culminated in the Second Council of Constantinople, which Vigilius initially opposed before ultimately yielding and ratifying its decisions in 554.12