An Imperial edict passed during the papacy of Felix IV grants that cases against clergy should be dealt with by the Pope.

He defines church teaching on grace and free will in response to a request of Faustus of Riez, in Gaul, on opposing Semi-Pelagianism.

Pope Felix had attempted to designate his own successor, who will eventually reign as Boniface II.

The reaction of the Senate had been to forbid the discussion of a pope’s successor during his lifetime or to accept such a nomination.

Pope Felix IV dies on September 22, 530, and is succeeded by Boniface II, an archdeacon of German descent who becomes the fifty-fifth pope.

By birth an Ostrogoth, the first Germanic pope, he owes his appointment to the influence of the Gothic king Athalaric.

The majority of the clergy had reacted to Felix's activity by nominating Dioscorus as Pope; only a minority supported Boniface.

Dioscorus is elected as antipope in the Lateran Palace but he dies within a month, thus ending the brief schism.