After the installation of Leo VIII, most of the imperial troops left Rome. Pope John XII's supporters rebelled against Emperor Otto I and were bloodily suppressed in January, 964. A new rebellion took place in Rome against the imperial party. Leo VIII escaped the city and Pope John XII entered Rome; he took violent vengeance against his enemies (Cardinal-deacon Giovanni had his right hand cut off; Bishop Otgar of Speyer was scourged; a high palatine official lost his nose and ears). On February 26, 964, Pope John XII celebrated a synod in St. Peter's basilica. The assembly declared the decrees of the Roman Synod of November 6, 963 repealed; Leo VIII and all who had participated in his election were excommunicated; his ordination to the sacred orders was pronounced invalid; and Bishop Siccone of Ostia, who had been one of his consecrators, was deprived forever of his dignities. When the Emperor was readying to go to Rome, Pope John XII died on May 14, 964.

SICO, Episcopus Card. Ostienesis contra Ioannem XII, verum Pontifice, Leonem VIII. Pseudopontificem inaugurauit; ac in Concilio, Romæ apud Sanctum Petrum congregatio, Sico anathematis fulmine ictus ac dignitate exutus ex anno nostræ salutis 964.  CONSTANTINVS, Episcopus Cardin. Portuensis subscripsit Ioannis XII. litteris vt ex monumentis Sublacentibus dixit constare Ferdinandus Ughellus tomo primo Italiæ Sacræ.    IOHANNES Gallisane ecclesie episcopo    IOHANNE Anagnine ecclesie episcope    IOHANNE Narniesis ecclesie episcope    IOHANNE Normitane ecclesie episcope    IOHANNE Berolensis ecclesie episcope    UUIDONE sancte Silve Candide ecclesie episcope    GREGORIO sancte Albanesis ecclesie episcope    LUNISSO sancte Lavicanensis ecclesie episcopus.    ROMANO sancte Ferentinatis ecclesie episcope    SABATINO sancte Terranicensis ecclesie episcope    ZACHEO gentium episcopo    IOHANNE Manturianensis ecclesie episcope    IOHANNE sancte Savinesis ecclesie episcope    IOHANNE sancte Nepessine ecclesie episcope    BENEDICTO sancte Treuicensis ecclesie episcope    IOHANNE sancte Falarnitane ecclesie episcope    STEPHANVS, Archipresbyter Card. tit. Sanctæ Balbina, vel, vt volunt aliqui, & fortasse eliniis sanctorum Nerei, & Achillei.    LEO, Presbyter Cardinalis titulo sanctæ Balbinæ.    DOMNVS, vel Dominicvs Presbyter Cardinalis Tit. S. Anastasiæ.    PETRVS, Presbyter Card. Tit. S. Laurentij in Damaso.    HADRIANVS, Presbyter Card. tit. S. Mariæ Transtyberim; hic cum Benedicto Cardinali Diacono Synodi Romanæ nomme litteras detulit ad Ioannem XIII. profugum ab Vrbe.    THEOPHILACTVS, Presbyter Card. tit. S. Chrysogoni.    THEOPHILACTVS, Presbyter Card. tit. sanctorum quatuor Coronatorum.    IOANNES, Presbyter Card. sanctorum Sylvestri, & Martini.    STEPHANVS, Presbyter Card. tit. S. Cæciliæ. In nonnullus M.SS. antiquis loco Stephani Ioannem in uenio subscriptum titulo S. Cæciliæ.    HADRIANVS, Presbyter Card. tit. S. Laurentij in Lucina.    IOANNES, Presbyter Cardinalis titulo sanctæ Susannæ.    PETRVS, Presbyter Card. tit. S. Pammachij : hic Ioannem Romanii Pontificem in Synodo acta fauit, testatus se illum vidise Mislam celebrare sine diptione Corporis Christi.    BENEDICTVS, Presbyter Cardinalis titulo sancti Sixti.    STEPHANVS Presbyter Cardinalis titulo sanctæ Sabinæ.    BENEDICTVS, Cardinalis Archidiaconus : contra Benedictum V. dictum VI. in Pseudo synodii Romanam introductu pro Leone VIII. stetit, & Benedictu ipsu in publica Synodo asperis verbis        exagitarit.    IOANNES, Diaconus Card. : hunc Ioanni Legatum cum litteris a Ioanne Romano Pontifice missum exutimo ad Othonem Regem, vt se, sibique Ecclesiam Romanam commissam ex inimicorum        faucibus liberavit sed post Othonis in Vrbem aduentum contra ipsum Ioanem Romanum Pontificem in Pseudosynodo stecit. Quare in Vrbem Ioannes Pontifex paulo pst a Romanis reuocatus        non solum, quae Leo Pseudopontifex in Synodo decreuerat, reiecit, sed etiam Ioannem hubc Diaconum Cardinalem manum dexteram priuauit.    BENEDICTVS, Diaconus Cardinalis, qui cum Ioanne Episcopo Narniesi ad Othonem iam electum Imperatorem as eodem Ioanne Legatus est, vt Othonis Romam aduentum quoquomodo        impediret. Litteras etiam detulit cum Hadriano Cardinali Presbytero titulo S. Mariæ Transtyberum Synodi Romanæ nomine ad Ioannem XII. Romanum Pontificem nunc temporis profugum ab        Vrbe, vt testatur Baronius, hic post eusdem Ioannis XII. obitum electus eat Romanus Pontifex vide vitam.    BONFILIVS, Diaconvs Cardinalis.

Taken from Alfonso Chacón, Vitæ, et res gestæ Pontificum Romanorum : et S.R.E. Cardinalium ab initio nascentis Ecclesiae usque ad Clementem IX P. O. M. Alphonsi Ciaconii Ord. Praed. & aliorum opera descriptæ : cum uberrimis notis. Ab Augustino Oldoino, Soc. Jesu recognitae, et ad quatuor tomos ingenti ubique rerum accessione productae. Additis Pontificum recentiorum imaginibus, & Cardinalium insignibus, plurimisque aeneis figuris, cum indicibus locupletissimis. Romæ : P. et A. De Rubeis, 1677, I, col. 719-720.

Additional sources: Cardella, Lorenzo. Memorie storiche de' cardinali della Santa Romana Chiesa. Rome : Stamperia Pagliarini, 1792, I, pt. 1, 78-80; and Monumenta Germaniae Historica (MGH). Leges. Constitutiones et acta publica imperatorum et regum (Const.), 1 (911-1197), Appendix I, p. 532.536.

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