Antipope Philip

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Antipope Philip was pope for only one day (July 31, 768). The subject of others' intrigues rather than active on his own account, he was a chaplain in a monastery at Rome. The sometime papal Chancellor, Christophorus, had sought Lombard help to depose Pope Constantine II, who was the candidate of the military faction in Rome. When Constantine was taken captive, Waldipert, acting as the envoy of the Lombard king Desiderius, accompanied Christophorus' brother Sergius in an attack on Rome that ended Constantine's papacy. Waldipert then installed Philip as Pope. Christophorus, on learning of this, stated that he would not enter Rome until Philip was removed. Philip was forced to return to his monastery. Christophorus entered Rome and oversaw the election of Stephen III.