John was an ethnic [[Greeks in Italy|Greek]], a native of [[Rossano]] in [[Calabria]].<ref name="Murzaku, Ines Angeli 2009 47">{{citeKitap bookkaynağı | author= Murzaku, Ines Angeli |title=Returning home to Rome: the Basilian monks of Grottaferrata in Albania |publisher=Analekta Kryptoferris |year=2009 |page=47 |isbn=9788889345047 |quote=Rossano, a town in southern Italy, which is probably the birthplace of another well-known Greek figure, Pope John VII who reigned in the See of St. Peter for two years (705–707) }}</ref><ref name="Hare, Augustus J. C. 2007 344-345">{{citeKitap bookkaynağı |author= Hare, Augustus J. C. |title=Cities of Southern Italy and Sicily |publisher=Smith, Elder & Co. |year=1883 |pages=344–345 |isbn=9781406782127 |quote= Pope John VII. (705–707) was a native of Rossano. }}</ref> His father, Plato (c. 620 – 686), was the curator of the [[Palatine Hill]] for the [[Byzantine emperor]]. This makes John the first pope to be the son of a Byzantine official.<ref name="Kelly">Kelly, J. N. D. ''The Oxford Dictionary of Popes''. Oxford University Press, 1986, p. 84.</ref> His mother was called Blatta (c. 627 – 687).<ref name="Kelly"/>
