He dispatched an expedition under his brilliant general, Count Belisarius. In a remarkable display of military virtuosity, Belisarius, with just a few thousand men, captured Rome. Justinian ousted the old pope and installed Vigilius. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. Vigilius now regarded himself as the direct heir of St Peter. Justinian, Christ's vice-regent on earth, had little time for self-promoting bishops. The two were on collision course. Vigilius tried to assert Rome's authority. But he was ineffectual, pleasing nobody. Eventually, Justinian's patience snapped. He kidnapped the Pope and sent him back to the East. As the Pope's boat left the Tiber wharf, his reputation was in tatters. The crowd threw stones and yelled insults. Vigilius was even more humiliated in Constantinople. He called a council of bishops, but it descended into a brawl. Vigilius sought refuge in the palace church. He clung to the altar, but was dragged out by his beard and forced to sign a document recognising Justinian's supremacy.


查士丁尼大帝委派他最杰出的将军贝利萨里乌斯伯爵远征，贝利萨里乌斯将军在这次远征中表现出了非凡的军事眼光，仅凭一支只有几千人的队伍就征服了罗马。查士丁尼大帝当即废黜了当时的教皇并任命维吉里为新一任教皇。一切都似乎正按计划进行。这时维吉里已经将自己视为圣彼得的直系继承人。而查士丁尼大帝，自诩基督之子，却疏于自我提升。于是他们之间的矛盾产生了。维吉里试图维护罗马的权威。却没有任何成效，没有人对此感到满意。最后，查士丁尼大帝的耐性耗尽。他把教皇绑走送往罗马以东。当教皇乘坐的船离开台伯河岸时，教皇的名声早已臭不可闻了。人们往船上扔石头、大声辱骂教皇。教皇维吉里在君士坦丁堡受到了更多的羞辱。在此期间，他传唤了一名教皇顾问，谁知却引发了一场争斗。维吉里试图走进宫廷教堂寻求庇护，他紧拽住祭坛不放，却被拖着胡子拖出了教堂，之后他被迫签下了一份文件，承认了查士丁尼大帝对罗马的统治地位。