Righteous Pope Adrian III of Rome

Adrian III was born in Rome; before his election he bore the name Agapetus and became the first pope to change his name upon election, a practice that later became tradition. He held the papal throne from 17 May 884 to 15 September 885. He dealt harshly with political opponents and concluded a treaty with the Byzantine Emperor Basil I. He died near Modena while traveling to the Diet of Worms of the Holy Roman Empire; there is a hypothesis that he was poisoned. He was venerated at the Monastery of Nonantola, where his tomb was located. He was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1891 for his care of starving believers.