Zephyrinus
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==Papacy== | ==Papacy== | ||
| − | After the death of [[Pope Victor I]] in 198, Zephyrinus was elected his successor and consecrated as pope. He is described by Hippolytus in the "Philosophymena" (IX, xi) as a simple man without education. However, it must be kept in mind that Hippolytus was Zephyrinus' bitter rival and even an anti-pope to | + | After the death of [[Pope Victor I]] in 198, Zephyrinus was elected his successor and consecrated as pope. He is described by Hippolytus in the "Philosophymena" (IX, xi) as a simple man without education. However, it must be kept in mind that Hippolytus was Zephyrinus' bitter rival and even an anti-pope to Zephyrinus' successor, Callixtus. Nevertheless, it may be true that Zephyrinus had not engaged in higher theological studies, but had devoted himself to the practical administration of the Church. |
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| + | Immediately after his elevation to the Roman See, Zephyrinus called to Rome the [[confessor]] Callixtus, had been freed from servitude in the mines under Pope Victor's administration. He closely advised Zephyrinus as his archdeacon. Zephyrinus placed Callixtus in charge of the Christian cemetery on the [[Via Appia]], and Callixtus' influence over the pope would soon become a bone of contention in the pope's troubles, particularly with Hyppolytus. | ||
===Worsening relations with the state=== | ===Worsening relations with the state=== | ||
| − | Meanwhile, the position of the Christians, which had remained favorable in the first years of the government of Emperor [[Septimus Severus]] (193-211), grew constantly worse. | + | Meanwhile, the position of the Christians, which had remained favorable in the first years of the government of Emperor [[Septimus Severus]] (193-211), grew constantly worse. Some of this is tied to the fact that three years into Zephyrinus' episcopacy, Septimius held a celebration to mark his tenth anniversary as emperor, which prominent Christians generally boycotted due to its pagan character. The bitter infighting among Christians, as well as their intolerance toward pagans, may also have played a role in Septimus' change of heart. |
| − | In any case, as | + | In any case, as part of an effort by to create a more unified Roman culture, Septimus issued an edict in 202 or 203 which forbade conversion to Christianity under the severest penalties. However, nothing is known specifically about the execution of the edict in Rome itself, nor of any martyrs of the Roman Church in this era. |
===Internal disputes=== | ===Internal disputes=== | ||
| + | Internally, during Zephyrinus' long reign, serious disputes arose within the Roman Church over the doctrine of the [[Trinity]]. The adherents of the teacher Theodotus the Tanner, who had been excommunicated by [[Pope Victor]], formed an independent community at Rome. The group affirmed that Christ, though born of a virgin, was not the [[Incarnation]] of God from his birth, but received God's divine power at his [[baptism]]. The sect came to be led by a Christian of substantial repute, Natalis, a confessor who had clung to his faith without wavering before a Roman judge and had suffered torture. Natalis, after a series of nightmares, became fearful of his salvation and determined to repent of his [[heresy]]. He reportedly put on penitential garment, covered himself with ashes, and threw himself with tears at the feet of Zephyrinus. He confessed his wrong-doing and begged to be received again into the communion of the Church. Zephrynus, following the precedent of his predecessors who held that lapsed Christians could be forgiven after due penance, eventually received him back into the fold (Eusebius, "Hist. eccl.", V, xxxii). | ||
| − | + | The greatest critic of Zephyrinus, and also our most prolific source of information about him, was the future saint [[Hippolytus]]. A prolific writer, he was the most important theologian among the Roman presbyters of this era. He was an strong adherent of the theology which taught that the Divine [[Logos]], which became man in [[Christ]], was a distinct [[person]] from [[God the Father]]. An opposing school of theological thought was represented at Rome by Cleomenes and particularly by [[Sabellius]]. These men themselves were strong opponents of the heretical Theodotians, but they disagreed with Hippolytus, in that they were not willing to acknowledge the incarnation of the Logos as distinct from the Father. They emphasized above all the absolute unity (monarchia) of God. They thus explained the [[Incarnation]] as a modality of the unified Godhead, rather than being limited to the Son as a distinct person from the Father. Consequently they were called Modalists or Monarchians. | |
| − | + | Since the Christian populace held firmly to the unity of God and at the same time to the true Godhead of Christ, at first no distrust of this doctrine was felt among them. Moreover, Pope Zephyrinus himself did not speak out authoritatively in the dispute between the two schools, preferring to hope for Christian unity among the learned brethren in their theological speculations. Hippolytus, however, insisted that the pope should promulgate a definite doctrine affirming that the person of Christ is actually different from that of the Father and condemning the opposing view of the Monarchians. However, Zephyrinus would not consent to this. | |
| − | + | The result was that Hippolytus grew constantly more irritated and angry against he pope and particularly against his deacon Callixtus, whom Hyppolytus blamed for the pope's inaction. He went so far as to accuse the pope of favoring the heretics and further accused Zephyrinus of subverting the discipline of the Church by receiving back into the Church sinners such as Natalis, who had been found guilty of grave offenses. | |
===Conflicts=== | ===Conflicts=== | ||
In the same era the adherents of [[Montanus]] also worked with great energy at Rome. | In the same era the adherents of [[Montanus]] also worked with great energy at Rome. | ||
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| + | In 212, the persecution of Jews and Christians was lifted when Emperor [[Caracalla]] issued an edict which granted full citizenship for all free people of the Roman Empire. While the situation of Christians vis a vis the state began to thus improve, Zephyrinus' papacy continued to be plagued by internal bitterness until his death. | ||
==Legacy== | ==Legacy== | ||
| − | Zephyrinus was buried in a separate sepulchral chamber over the cemetery of Calixtus on the [[Via Appia]]. Upon the death of the pope and the election of Callixtus, Hippolytus and a number of his scholars formed a schismatic group that refused to accept Callixtus. For over ten years Hippolytus stood at the head of a separate congregation | + | Zephyrinus was buried in a separate sepulchral chamber over the cemetery of Calixtus on the [[Via Appia]]. Upon the death of the pope and the election of Callixtus, Hippolytus and a number of his fellow scholars formed a schismatic group that refused to accept Callixtus. For over ten years, Hippolytus stood at the head of a separate congregation and is sometimes considered the first [[Antipope]]. This, however, is true only if one does not count Novatian, who formed a far more important schism, but was also declared to be a [[heretic]]. |
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| + | The "Liber Pontificalis" attributes two Decrees to Zephyrinus, although there is no other historical basis for them: | ||
| − | + | *Following the precedents set by his predecessor Cornelius I and Lucius I in the [[Novatian]]ist controversy, Zephyrinus reportedly decreed that sinners who had been excommunicated for serious sins could be received back into the Church after completing a penance prescribed by Church officials. | |
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| + | *He also is said to have decreed that the Holy Communion only be received by those 14 and older, a rule which remained unchanged until [[Pope Pius X]] (1903-1914) lowered it to seven years of age, which he called "the age of reason. | ||
| − | + | The feast of Pope Zephyrinus, which was formerly held on August 26, is now celebrated on December 20, the day of his death.<ref>''Martyrologium Romanum'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 8820972107)</ref> | |
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==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
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==Books== | ==Books== | ||
| − | *Rendina, Claudio, ''The Popes Histories and Secrets'' ( | + | *Rendina, Claudio, ''The Popes Histories and Secrets'' |
| + | *''Martyrologium Romanum'' (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 8820972107 | ||
{{Pope before 376| | {{Pope before 376| | ||
Revision as of 03:07, 13 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
After the death of Pope Victor I in 198, Zephyrinus was elected his successor and consecrated as pope. He is described by Hippolytus in the "Philosophymena" (IX, xi) as a simple man without education. However, it must be kept in mind that Hippolytus was Zephyrinus' bitter rival and even an anti-pope to Zephyrinus' successor, Callixtus. Nevertheless, it may be true that Zephyrinus had not engaged in higher theological studies, but had devoted himself to the practical administration of the Church.
Immediately after his elevation to the Roman See, Zephyrinus called to Rome the confessor Callixtus, had been freed from servitude in the mines under Pope Victor's administration. He closely advised Zephyrinus as his archdeacon. Zephyrinus placed Callixtus in charge of the Christian cemetery on the Via Appia, and Callixtus' influence over the pope would soon become a bone of contention in the pope's troubles, particularly with Hyppolytus.
Worsening relations with the state
Meanwhile, the position of the Christians, which had remained favorable in the first years of the government of Emperor Septimus Severus (193-211), grew constantly worse. Some of this is tied to the fact that three years into Zephyrinus' episcopacy, Septimius held a celebration to mark his tenth anniversary as emperor, which prominent Christians generally boycotted due to its pagan character. The bitter infighting among Christians, as well as their intolerance toward pagans, may also have played a role in Septimus' change of heart.
In any case, as part of an effort by to create a more unified Roman culture, Septimus issued an edict in 202 or 203 which forbade conversion to Christianity under the severest penalties. However, nothing is known specifically about the execution of the edict in Rome itself, nor of any martyrs of the Roman Church in this era.
Internal disputes
Internally, during Zephyrinus' long reign, serious disputes arose within the Roman Church over the doctrine of the Trinity. The adherents of the teacher Theodotus the Tanner, who had been excommunicated by Pope Victor, formed an independent community at Rome. The group affirmed that Christ, though born of a virgin, was not the Incarnation of God from his birth, but received God's divine power at his baptism. The sect came to be led by a Christian of substantial repute, Natalis, a confessor who had clung to his faith without wavering before a Roman judge and had suffered torture. Natalis, after a series of nightmares, became fearful of his salvation and determined to repent of his heresy. He reportedly put on penitential garment, covered himself with ashes, and threw himself with tears at the feet of Zephyrinus. He confessed his wrong-doing and begged to be received again into the communion of the Church. Zephrynus, following the precedent of his predecessors who held that lapsed Christians could be forgiven after due penance, eventually received him back into the fold (Eusebius, "Hist. eccl.", V, xxxii).
The greatest critic of Zephyrinus, and also our most prolific source of information about him, was the future saint Hippolytus. A prolific writer, he was the most important theologian among the Roman presbyters of this era. He was an strong adherent of the theology which taught that the Divine Logos, which became man in Christ, was a distinct person from God the Father. An opposing school of theological thought was represented at Rome by Cleomenes and particularly by Sabellius. These men themselves were strong opponents of the heretical Theodotians, but they disagreed with Hippolytus, in that they were not willing to acknowledge the incarnation of the Logos as distinct from the Father. They emphasized above all the absolute unity (monarchia) of God. They thus explained the Incarnation as a modality of the unified Godhead, rather than being limited to the Son as a distinct person from the Father. Consequently they were called Modalists or Monarchians.
Since the Christian populace held firmly to the unity of God and at the same time to the true Godhead of Christ, at first no distrust of this doctrine was felt among them. Moreover, Pope Zephyrinus himself did not speak out authoritatively in the dispute between the two schools, preferring to hope for Christian unity among the learned brethren in their theological speculations. Hippolytus, however, insisted that the pope should promulgate a definite doctrine affirming that the person of Christ is actually different from that of the Father and condemning the opposing view of the Monarchians. However, Zephyrinus would not consent to this.
The result was that Hippolytus grew constantly more irritated and angry against he pope and particularly against his deacon Callixtus, whom Hyppolytus blamed for the pope's inaction. He went so far as to accuse the pope of favoring the heretics and further accused Zephyrinus of subverting the discipline of the Church by receiving back into the Church sinners such as Natalis, who had been found guilty of grave offenses.
Conflicts
In the same era the adherents of Montanus also worked with great energy at Rome.
In 212, the persecution of Jews and Christians was lifted when Emperor Caracalla issued an edict which granted full citizenship for all free people of the Roman Empire. While the situation of Christians vis a vis the state began to thus improve, Zephyrinus' papacy continued to be plagued by internal bitterness until his death.
Legacy
Zephyrinus was buried in a separate sepulchral chamber over the cemetery of Calixtus on the Via Appia. Upon the death of the pope and the election of Callixtus, Hippolytus and a number of his fellow scholars formed a schismatic group that refused to accept Callixtus. For over ten years, Hippolytus stood at the head of a separate congregation and is sometimes considered the first Antipope. This, however, is true only if one does not count Novatian, who formed a far more important schism, but was also declared to be a heretic.
The "Liber Pontificalis" attributes two Decrees to Zephyrinus, although there is no other historical basis for them:
- Following the precedents set by his predecessor Cornelius I and Lucius I in the Novatianist controversy, Zephyrinus reportedly decreed that sinners who had been excommunicated for serious sins could be received back into the Church after completing a penance prescribed by Church officials.
- He also is said to have decreed that the Holy Communion only be received by those 14 and older, a rule which remained unchanged until Pope Pius X (1903-1914) lowered it to seven years of age, which he called "the age of reason.
The feast of Pope Zephyrinus, which was formerly held on August 26, is now celebrated on December 20, the day of his death.[1]
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
- ↑ Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 8820972107)
Books
- Rendina, Claudio, The Popes Histories and Secrets
- Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 8820972107
| Roman Catholic Popes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Victor I |
Bishop of Rome Pope 199–217 |
Succeeded by: Callixtus I |
| ||||||||||||||||
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