A former apocrisiarius to Constantinople, Pelagius I was elected pope as the candidate of Emperor Justinian I, a designation not well received in the Western Church.
Totila sent Pelagius to Constantinople in order to arrange a peace with Justinian I, but the emperor sent him back to say that his general Belisarius was in command in Italy.
Pelagius I's pontificate was undermined by rumors that he might have somehow been complicit in the death of Vigilius, and suspicion that his conceding to Justinian indicating a support for monophysitism.
In response to a request from the garrison commander at Civitavecchia, Pelagius directed Bishop Lawrence of that town, to provide chaplains for the army.
[3] He is credited with the construction of the Santi Apostoli, Rome,[4] built to celebrate the complete victory of Narses over the Ostrogoths.