Who he was
Paul was the younger brother of Stephen II, and the two were trained for the priesthood together in the Lateran. Stephen trusted him with important business, and when Stephen died Paul was elected by a large majority, though another party wanted the archdeacon Theophylact. He was consecrated on 29 May 757.
What he is remembered for
He kept up his brother's alliance with Pepin and the Franks, and spent much of his reign trying to make the Lombard king Desiderius hand back the cities he had promised. He defended the veneration of holy images against the Byzantine emperor, and brought the remains of many martyrs in from the ruined catacombs to the churches of Rome, among them St Petronilla. He turned his family home into a monastery with the church of San Silvestro in Capite, and his feast is kept on 28 June.
He is honoured by the Church as Saint. Read his page in the dictionary of saints.
Sources
All popes · Home · All saints