Reigned from 1045 to 1046. Born in Rome, Italy as John Gratian; probably died at Cologne, Germany in 1048. He was archpriest of Saint John's when Benedict IX offered to surrender the papacy for a large sum of money. Gratian paid in good faith, wishing to rid the Holy See of its unworthy occupant, and was installed in 1045. When Benedict retired, his rivals nominated an antipope, John of Sabina. A synod at Sutri sent John to a monastery, declared that Benedict IX had forfeited his rights, and claimed that the action of Gregory VI was simoniacal. Gregory resigned in 1046 and returned to Germany with King Henry III. With the aid of Hildebrand, later Pope Gregory VII, he had attempted to bring about civiland religious order.