Zephyrinus
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'''Pope Saint Zephyrinus''' was [[pope]] from 199 to 217. | '''Pope Saint Zephyrinus''' was [[pope]] from 199 to 217. | ||
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The feast of Pope Zephyrinus, which was formerly held on 26 August,<ref>''Calendarium Romanum'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 136</ref> is now celebrated on 20 December, the day of his death.<ref>''Martyrologium Romanum'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)</ref> | The feast of Pope Zephyrinus, which was formerly held on 26 August,<ref>''Calendarium Romanum'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 136</ref> is now celebrated on 20 December, the day of his death.<ref>''Martyrologium Romanum'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)</ref> | ||
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| + | ---------- | ||
| + | He was a Roman. He ruled as head bishop for nearly 20 years, but mostly under the strong influence of his deacon and successor, Pope Callistus I (217-222). | ||
| + | |||
| + | Lapsed Christians | ||
| + | He decreed that excommunicated sinners could be received back after completing a prescribed penance. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Holy Communion | ||
| + | He decreed that Holy Communion only be received by those 14 and older. This rule would remain unchanged until the 20th century when Pope Pius X (1903-1914) lowered it to 7 years of age, called the age of reason. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Prayers for the dead | ||
| + | Tertullian writes in his On Monogamy that a good widow prays for her dead husband. The first record of prayers for the dead, of the early church writers. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Church conflict | ||
| + | He lived during the time when the bishops of Rome were struggling for control, and arguing over which is the "true" church. Montanism and Monarchianism heresies were strong within the church, which were supported by many clergy and bishops. Differences in church doctrine resulted in the first Antipope, Hippolytus (217-235), who would be declared head by a separate majority of bishops. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Hippolytus attacked all the heresies within the church, including Zephyrinus for not doing anything about them, and actually supporting Modalism. Hippolytus complained in his Apostolic Tradition that under Zephyrinus’ leadership, the church became corrupt and public worship a scandal. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Roman Persecution | ||
| + | Christian persecutions continued throughout the Empire from about 202-211, under Emperor Septimius Severus, who sought for a single common religion. Septimius made no new laws regarding this, and is believed to have even had Christians within his household. The church at Rome had almost absolute peace under his protection; however, numerous persecutions outside of Rome continued. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Edict of Caracalla | ||
| + | In 212, persecution of Jews and Christians was lifted when Emperor Caracalla issued the Edict of Caracalla, which granted full citizenship for all free people of the Roman Empire. A century later, under Emperor Constantine, this would end. | ||
==References== | ==References== | ||
Revision as of 22:16, 12 June 2008
| Saint Zephyrinus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Birth name | Zephyrinus |
| Papacy began | 199 |
| Papacy ended | December 20, 217 |
| Predecessor | Victor I |
| Successor | Callixtus I |
| Born | ??? Rome, Italy |
| Died | December 20 217 Rome, Italy |
Pope Saint Zephyrinus was pope from 199 to 217.
He was a Roman who had ruled as head bishop for close to 20 years, and was elected to the Papacy upon the death of the previous pope, Victor. Zephyrinus was succeeded, upon his death on December 20, 217, by his principal advisor, Callixtus.
Papacy
Decrees
Zephyrinus decreed that sinners who had been excommunicated could be received back into the Church after completing a penance prescribed by Church officials.
He also decreed that the Holy Communion only be received by those 14 and older, a rule which remained unchanged until Pope Pius X lowered it to seven years of age, which he had called "the age of reason."
Conflicts
Under the papal rule of Zephyrinus, the persecution of Christians by the Roman government markedly worsened. Some of this is tied to the fact that three years into his rule, the Roman Emperor Septimius Severus held a celebration to mark his tenth anniversary as emperor. Christians did not attend the event. Later in the year, Septimus Severus issued an edict which forbade conversion to Christianity under the severest penalties. This was part of an effort by Septimus to create a single Roman religion.
A second major incident during the rule of Zephyrinus led to the first major division of the Church. The Monarchianism movement, a movement which had been declared heretical by the Church, was growing rapidly. Zephyrinus did little in response to this. He denounced the Monarchaists on the advice of Callixtus, but took no other action. The renowned theologian Hippolytus heavily criticised him, accusing him of favouring the Christological heresies of the Monarchians, and of subverting the discipline of the Church by receiving sinners back into the Church who had been found guilty of grave sins. He also claimed that Zephyrinus was too heavily influenced by his advisor. Hippolytus wanted the pope to issue a decree which condemned the heretical beliefs of the Monarchians and Patripassians and created distinct dogma which represented the Person of Christ as actually different from that of the Father. [1] Upon the death of the pope, and the election of Callixtus, Hippolytus and a number of his scholars left the Church, and the Church entered into its first division. For over ten years Hippolytus stood at the head of a separate congregation, possibly as bishop, and is sometimes considered the first Antipope.
Antipope Natalius[1], bishop of a rival sect of Christianity in Rome, supposedly tearfully submitted himself to Pope Zephyrinus, covered in ash and dressed in sackcloth, after being "scourged all night by the holy angels."
The feast of Pope Zephyrinus, which was formerly held on 26 August,[2] is now celebrated on 20 December, the day of his death.[3]
He was a Roman. He ruled as head bishop for nearly 20 years, but mostly under the strong influence of his deacon and successor, Pope Callistus I (217-222).
Lapsed Christians He decreed that excommunicated sinners could be received back after completing a prescribed penance.
Holy Communion He decreed that Holy Communion only be received by those 14 and older. This rule would remain unchanged until the 20th century when Pope Pius X (1903-1914) lowered it to 7 years of age, called the age of reason.
Prayers for the dead Tertullian writes in his On Monogamy that a good widow prays for her dead husband. The first record of prayers for the dead, of the early church writers.
Church conflict He lived during the time when the bishops of Rome were struggling for control, and arguing over which is the "true" church. Montanism and Monarchianism heresies were strong within the church, which were supported by many clergy and bishops. Differences in church doctrine resulted in the first Antipope, Hippolytus (217-235), who would be declared head by a separate majority of bishops.
Hippolytus attacked all the heresies within the church, including Zephyrinus for not doing anything about them, and actually supporting Modalism. Hippolytus complained in his Apostolic Tradition that under Zephyrinus’ leadership, the church became corrupt and public worship a scandal.
Roman Persecution Christian persecutions continued throughout the Empire from about 202-211, under Emperor Septimius Severus, who sought for a single common religion. Septimius made no new laws regarding this, and is believed to have even had Christians within his household. The church at Rome had almost absolute peace under his protection; however, numerous persecutions outside of Rome continued.
Edict of Caracalla In 212, persecution of Jews and Christians was lifted when Emperor Caracalla issued the Edict of Caracalla, which granted full citizenship for all free people of the Roman Empire. A century later, under Emperor Constantine, this would end.
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope St. Zephyrinus
- ↑ Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 136
- ↑ Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
| Saints Portal |
Books
- Rendina, Claudio, The Popes Histories and Secrets (2002)
| Roman Catholic Popes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Victor I |
Bishop of Rome Pope 199–217 |
Succeeded by: Callixtus I |
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