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Constantine was elected to the papacy on [[March 25]], 708, succeeding Pope Sininnius, who may have been his brother. Sisinnius, a Syrian, had been pope for only twenty days.<ref>*Williams, George L. 2004. ''Papal Genealogy: The Families and Descendants of the Popes''. McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-2071-5. p. 10.</ref> Constantine was one of the popes of Greek origin during the period called the [[Byzantine Papacy]], during which Rome was ruled by the Eastern Empire and the bishops of Rome required the approval of the emperor for consecration as pope.
The principal issue before the papacy at the time of Constantine's election were the rejections by Popes Sergius I and [[John VII of Rome|John VII]] of the canons of the [[Quinisext Council]] that had been convened under emperor [[Justinian II]] in 692. [[Pope John VII]] had been sent the canons for approval but instead sent them back.
In 710, Justinian II demanded that Constantine appear before him in Constantinople to settle once and for all the issue of the acceptance by Rome of the Quinisext decrees. Constantine neither delayed nor made excuses to avoid appearing in the imperial city as did his predecessors. Prior to Constantine's departure from Rome, Justinian had Archbishop Felix of Ravenna blinded for plotting to overthrow him, an act that had improved the rapport between the emperor and pope. However, Constantine's main motivation for the trip was to "forestall" a rift between Rome and Constantinople over the Quinisext decrees. Also, accompanying him to Constantinople was Constantine's successor Pope Gregory II as a [[deacon]].
