It is known that popes, who were leaders of a persecuted community in the early periods of the history of the Papacy, defended their communities until the last moment, but agreed to leave their positions if their lives were in danger.
It can be said that political pressures and health problems were among the reasons for leaving office in the following periods.
The earliest known case of 'renunciation' is that of Roman Pope Clement I. Clement of Rome, who is rumored to have lived in the second half of the 1st century, and was a pope from the Hellenistic Jewish culture who served between 88-97. Clement, who met with the apostles, was a student of Paul of Tarsus. According to the legend, Clement, who was subjected to persecution along with his community during the reign of Emperor Trajan, was exiled from Rome and eventually thrown into the Black Sea with an anchor tied around his neck. According to the legend, his commitment to Jewish traditions caused him to be sentenced to such a punishment.
Clement of Rome (c. 35 AD – 99 AD), also known as Pope Clement I, was the bishop of Rome in the late first century AD. He is listed by Irenaeus and Tertullian as the bishop of Rome, holding office from 88 AD to his death in 99 AD. He is considered to be the first Apostolic Father of the Church, one of the three chief ones together with Polycarp and Ignatius of Antioch.
Because of the way he was killed, Clement is considered the 'protector of sailors', especially by the Eastern Churches. Clement, who was caught to be exiled and punished, decided to relinquish his duty so that the community in Rome would not be left without a leader and appointed Evarist (97-105) as the Bishop of Rome.
The first documented data on the history of the Papacy belongs to the 3rd century. Therefore, the first pope whose abdication and its reasons are known with certainty is Pope Pontien, who was in office between 230-235. His most important decision was to convene a synod in Rome in 231 to condemn the famous theologian Origen for his views. Emperor Maximin, who ascended the throne in 235, started by persecuting Christians. Meanwhile, he is arrested and exiled to the island of Sardinia. Learning of the exile sentence, Pontien relinquished his post as bishop of Rome - and therefore the Papacy - on September 28, 235, so that a new bishop could be elected. Even though it was a result of coercion, the first recorded renunciation took place during his time.
The popes of the first three centuries were seen as the leaders of a movement that was considered illegitimate by the political powers. In this period, in a time when there were cruel rulers, we can talk about the renunciations of the oppressed popes. The same period will be the centuries when Christianity gave the most 'martyrs'.
By the 4th century, Christianity would experience a radical change. With Emperor Constantine, Christianity entered a period in which the empire first allowed it, then officially recognized it, and in 391, during the reign of Emperor Theodosius, it was accepted as the only legitimate official religion.
In the 6th century, the Papacy became an integral part of the empire. However, the capital of the Roman Empire is Eastern Rome. With the collapse of Western Rome in the 5th century, the city of Rome, which was also the seat of the Papacy, became open to all kinds of occupation. For this reason, the popes have to get along well with the new kings occupying Rome.
Pope Silver, the third of those who left the Papacy office, was the head of his congregation in Rome, which was under the occupation of the Goths, during a period of such political turmoil (536-537). When Eastern Roman (Byzantine) soldiers captured Rome from the Goths again in 536, rumor has it that the Pope was accused of collaborating with the enemy by Belisaire, the commander of the imperial army. Thereupon, he is forced to resign by the same commander. However, historians point out that this resignation was religious rather than political.
Accordingly, Empress Theodora is a monophysite who defends that Jesus has a single nature (the combination of the Human and Divine characteristics believed to exist in Jesus in a single nature without change) and does not want a pope who declares this sect heretical to remain in that position.
Theodora appoints Papa Vigil to replace Silver. Reduced to the status of a simple priest, Silver spends the remaining years of his life in seclusion. Although he is known as the first pope to abdicate voluntarily, this action cannot be called a complete 'renunciation' according to the definition of canon law, as it was separated by political coercion and pressure.