Zephyrinus

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==Papacy==
 
==Papacy==
 
===Decrees===
 
===Decrees===
Zephyrinus decreed that sinners who had been excommunicated could be received back into the Church after completing a penance prescribed by Church officials.
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Following the precedents set by his predecessor Cornelius I and Lucius I in the [[Novatian]]ist controversy, Zephyrinus 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 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."
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He also 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."
  
 
===Conflicts===
 
===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.
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During Zephyrinus' reign, 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, as part of part of an effort by to create a unified Roman religion, Septimus issued an edict which forbade conversion to Christianity under the severest penalties.
  
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 [[Pope Callixtus|Callixtus]], but took no other action. The renowned theologian [[Hippolytus (writer)|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. <ref>[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15756c.htm CATHOLIC ENCYCLOPEDIA: Pope St. Zephyrinus<!-- Bot generated title —>]</ref> 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.
+
A second major incident during the rule of Zephyrinus led to one of the first major divisions of the Roman Church. The [[Monarchianism]] movement, a movement which had been declared [[heretical]], was growing rapidly. Zephyrinus was relatively tolerant of the movement. He denounced the Monarchaists on the advice of his archdeacon, the future [[Pope Callixtus|Callixtus]], but reportedly took no other action. The renowned theologian [[Hippolytus (writer)|Hippolytus]] heavily criticized him for this. Hippolytus accused Zephyrinus of even favoring the Christological heresies of the Monarchians. He also accused Zephyrinus of subverting the discipline of the Church by receiving sinners back into the Church who had been found guilty of grave sins.
  
[[Antipope]] Natalius[http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10448a.htm], 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 "[[scourge]]d all night by the holy angels."
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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.
  
 
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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Hippolytus was the most important theologian among the Roman presbyters of this era. He was an avowed adherent of the doctrine of the Divine Logos. He taught that the Divine Logos became man in Christ, that the Logos differs in every thing from God, that he is the mediary between God and the world of creatures. This doctrine in the form in which it was set forth by Hippolytus and his school aroused many doubts, and another theological school appeared in opposition to it. This latter school was represented at Rome in this era by Cleomenes and particularly by Sabellius. These men were rigid opponents of the Theodotians, but were not willing to acknowledge the incarnation of the Logos, and emphasized above all the absolute unity (monarchia) of God. They explained the Incarnation of Christ in the sense that this was another manifestation (modus) of God in His union with human nature. Consequently they were called Modalists or Patripassians, as according to them it was not the Son of God but the Father Who had been crucified. The Christian common people held firmly, above all, to the Unity of God and at the same time to the true Godhead of Jesus Christ. Originally no distrust of this doctrine was felt among them. Pope Zephyrinus did not interpose authoritatively in the dispute between the two schools. The heresy of the Modalists was not at first clearly evident, and the doctrine of Hippolytus offered many difficulties as regards the tradition of the Church. Zephyrinus said simply that he acknowledged only one God, and this was the Lord Jesus Christ, but it was the Son, not the Father, Who had died. This was the doctrine of the tradition of the Church. Hippolytus urged that the pope should approve of a distinct dogma which represented the Person of Christ as actually different from that of the Father and condemned the opposing views of the Monarchians and Patripassians. However, Zephyrinus would not consent to this. The result was that Hippolytus grew constantly more irritated and angry against he pope and particularly against the deacon Callistus whom, as the councillor of the pope, he made responsible for the position of the latter. When after the death of Zephyrinus Callistus was elected Roman bishop, Hippolytus withdrew from the Church with his scholars, caused a schism, and made himself a rival bishop.
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Zephyrinus was buried in a separate sepulchral chamber over the cemetery of Calistus on the Via Appia (cf. Wilpert, "Die papstgruber und die Suciliengruft in der Katakombe des hl. Kallistus", Freiburg, 1909, 91 sqq.). The "Liber Pontificalis" attributes two Decrees to Zephyrinus; one on the ordination of the clergy and the other on the Eucharistic Liturgy in the title churches of Rome. The author of the biography has ascribed these Decrees to the pope arbitrarily and without historical basis.
  
 
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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).
 
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
 
Prayers for the dead

Revision as of 22:29, 12 June 2008

Saint Zephyrinus
Saintz05.jpg
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

Following the precedents set by his predecessor Cornelius I and Lucius I in the Novatianist controversy, Zephyrinus 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 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."

Conflicts

During Zephyrinus' reign, 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, as part of part of an effort by to create a unified Roman religion, Septimus issued an edict which forbade conversion to Christianity under the severest penalties.

A second major incident during the rule of Zephyrinus led to one of the first major divisions of the Roman Church. The Monarchianism movement, a movement which had been declared heretical, was growing rapidly. Zephyrinus was relatively tolerant of the movement. He denounced the Monarchaists on the advice of his archdeacon, the future Callixtus, but reportedly took no other action. The renowned theologian Hippolytus heavily criticized him for this. Hippolytus accused Zephyrinus of even favoring the Christological heresies of the Monarchians. He also accused Zephyrinus of subverting the discipline of the Church by receiving sinners back into the Church who had been found guilty of grave sins.

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.

The feast of Pope Zephyrinus, which was formerly held on 26 August,[1] is now celebrated on 20 December, the day of his death.[2]



Hippolytus was the most important theologian among the Roman presbyters of this era. He was an avowed adherent of the doctrine of the Divine Logos. He taught that the Divine Logos became man in Christ, that the Logos differs in every thing from God, that he is the mediary between God and the world of creatures. This doctrine in the form in which it was set forth by Hippolytus and his school aroused many doubts, and another theological school appeared in opposition to it. This latter school was represented at Rome in this era by Cleomenes and particularly by Sabellius. These men were rigid opponents of the Theodotians, but were not willing to acknowledge the incarnation of the Logos, and emphasized above all the absolute unity (monarchia) of God. They explained the Incarnation of Christ in the sense that this was another manifestation (modus) of God in His union with human nature. Consequently they were called Modalists or Patripassians, as according to them it was not the Son of God but the Father Who had been crucified. The Christian common people held firmly, above all, to the Unity of God and at the same time to the true Godhead of Jesus Christ. Originally no distrust of this doctrine was felt among them. Pope Zephyrinus did not interpose authoritatively in the dispute between the two schools. The heresy of the Modalists was not at first clearly evident, and the doctrine of Hippolytus offered many difficulties as regards the tradition of the Church. Zephyrinus said simply that he acknowledged only one God, and this was the Lord Jesus Christ, but it was the Son, not the Father, Who had died. This was the doctrine of the tradition of the Church. Hippolytus urged that the pope should approve of a distinct dogma which represented the Person of Christ as actually different from that of the Father and condemned the opposing views of the Monarchians and Patripassians. However, Zephyrinus would not consent to this. The result was that Hippolytus grew constantly more irritated and angry against he pope and particularly against the deacon Callistus whom, as the councillor of the pope, he made responsible for the position of the latter. When after the death of Zephyrinus Callistus was elected Roman bishop, Hippolytus withdrew from the Church with his scholars, caused a schism, and made himself a rival bishop.

Zephyrinus was buried in a separate sepulchral chamber over the cemetery of Calistus on the Via Appia (cf. Wilpert, "Die papstgruber und die Suciliengruft in der Katakombe des hl. Kallistus", Freiburg, 1909, 91 sqq.). The "Liber Pontificalis" attributes two Decrees to Zephyrinus; one on the ordination of the clergy and the other on the Eucharistic Liturgy in the title churches of Rome. The author of the biography has ascribed these Decrees to the pope arbitrarily and without historical basis.


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).


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
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  1. Calendarium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1969), p. 136
  2. Martyrologium Romanum (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2001 ISBN 88-209-7210-7)
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Wikisource has an original article from the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia about:
Pope Saint Zephyrinus
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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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