Octavianus was only 18 years old when he ascended the Papacy of the Roman Catholic Church and became Pope John XII on December 16, 955. He was the only son of Duke Alberic II (932–954) of Spoleto, then ruler of Rome. Alberic, before his death in 954, made Roman nobles swear at St. Peter's altar that they would make his son, Octavianus, pope at the first vacancy. Since the leaders loved the dying father, they kept their word to him and elected Octavianus as the 130th Roman Catholic Pope succeeding Pope Agapetus II after the pope’s death on November 8, 955. Octavianus adopted the apostolic name of John XII. He was the third pontiff to take a regnal name upon elevation to the papal chair; the first being Pope John II (533–535), whose birth name was Mercurius and the second, Pope John III (561–574), whose birth name was Catelinus. Right from the start, in relation to secular issues, the new pope issued his directives under the name of Octavianus, while in all matters relating t