Born in Tivoli to a man named Rampoaldo, he was ordained as a Benedictine priest by Pope Formosus.
[3] Re-ordinations were forbidden, and those of the clergy who had been degraded by Stephen were restored to the ranks from which he had deposed them.
The custom of plundering the palaces of bishops or popes on their death was ordered to be put down both by the spiritual and temporal authorities.
[2] Finding that it was advisable to cement the ties between the empire and the papacy, John IX gave unhesitating support to Lambert of Spoleto in preference to Arnulf of Carinthia during the Synod of Rome, and also induced the council to determine that henceforth the consecration of the Popes should take place only in the presence of the imperial legates.
[3] John IX died in the year 900 and was succeeded by Pope Benedict IV (900–903).