Difference between revisions of "Pope Anterus" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Pope Saint Anterus''', was [[bishop of Rome]] from November 21, 235 to January 3, 236, succeeding [[Pope Pontian]], who had been deported from [[Rome]] along with the [[antipope]] [[Hippolytus (writer)|Hippolytus]] to [[Sardinia]]. His reign was a very short one, lasting only 40 days.
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'''Pope Saint Anterus''', was [[pope]] from November 21, 235 to January 3, 236, and succeeded [[Pope Pontian]], who had been deported from [[Rome]] along with the [[antipope]] [[Hippolytus (writer)|Hippolytus]] to [[Sardinia]].
 
  
It is claimed he was [[martyr]]ed,<ref>Marucchi, Orazio (2003). ''Manual of Christian Archeology 1935''. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 0-7661-4247-7 p. 48.</ref> but there is little evidence for this and it is more likely that he died in undramatic circumstances during the persecutions of Emperor [[Maximinus the Thracian]].<ref>Levillain, Philippe (2002). ''The Papacy: An Encyclopedia''. London: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92228-3; p. 557; p. 63.</ref> He was buried in the papal crypt of the cemetery of St. [[Pope Callixtus I|Callixtus]] in [[Rome]] and later made a [[saint]].<ref>{{ws|"[[s:Catholic Encyclopedia (1913)/Pope St. Anterus|Pope St. Anterus]]" in the 1913 ''Catholic Encyclopedia''}}</ref> Anterus, who was pope for only one month and ten days, is thought to have been of Greek origin, but the name could indicate that he was a freed slave.<ref>Levillain, 2002, p. 63.</ref>
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It is claimed he was [[martyr]]ed, the persecutions of Emperor [[Maximinus the Thracian]]. While it is true that his successor died in exile in the Sandinian mines, there is no evidence for this being the case with Anterus. He was buried in the papal crypt of the cemetery of St. [[Pope Callixtus I|Callixtus]] in [[Rome]] and later made a [[saint]], as were all the early popes.
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==Biography==
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The ''[[Liber Pontificalis]]'' indicates that Anterus was a Greek and that his father's name was Romulus. He became pope after his predecessor, [[Pontian]], was sentenced to exile in the Sardinian mines under the persecution of Emperor [[Maximinus I]], known as the Thracian. Nothing else is known of his background, and little if anything is known of his [[episcopacy]], which lasted less than a month and a half.
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The congregation of the [[antipope]] and later saint Hippolytus, who was exiled with Pontian, may have been reconciled with the main body of the Roman church during Anterus' time, but the sources make it equally possible that this reunion occurred either just before the sentence of exile was enforced or during the time of Anterus' successor, Pope [[Fabian I]].
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A later tradition holds that Anterus was martyred for having caused the Acts of the [[martyr]]s to be collected by notaries and deposited in the archives of the Roman Church. While this tradition cannot be dismissed out of hand, most scholars maintain treat it skeptically, since its source, the ''Liber Pontificalis'', is of relatively late date an routinely ascribes to each pope accomplishments that are clearly anacrhonistic.
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The site of Anterus' sepulchre was discovered by the Italian archaeologist De Rossi in 1854, with some broken remnants of the Greek epitaph engraved on the narrow oblong slab that covered his tomb. A letter once attributed to him is now dismissed as a later forgery.
  
 
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Revision as of 21:00, 2 January 2009

Anterus
Pope Anterus.jpg
Birth name Anterus
Papacy began November 21, 235
Papacy ended January 3, 236
Predecessor Pontian
Successor Fabian
Born ???
???
Died January 3 236
Rome, Italy

Pope Saint Anterus, was bishop of Rome from November 21, 235 to January 3, 236, succeeding Pope Pontian, who had been deported from Rome along with the antipope Hippolytus to Sardinia. His reign was a very short one, lasting only 40 days.

It is claimed he was martyred, the persecutions of Emperor Maximinus the Thracian. While it is true that his successor died in exile in the Sandinian mines, there is no evidence for this being the case with Anterus. He was buried in the papal crypt of the cemetery of St. Callixtus in Rome and later made a saint, as were all the early popes.

Biography

The Liber Pontificalis indicates that Anterus was a Greek and that his father's name was Romulus. He became pope after his predecessor, Pontian, was sentenced to exile in the Sardinian mines under the persecution of Emperor Maximinus I, known as the Thracian. Nothing else is known of his background, and little if anything is known of his episcopacy, which lasted less than a month and a half.

The congregation of the antipope and later saint Hippolytus, who was exiled with Pontian, may have been reconciled with the main body of the Roman church during Anterus' time, but the sources make it equally possible that this reunion occurred either just before the sentence of exile was enforced or during the time of Anterus' successor, Pope Fabian I.

A later tradition holds that Anterus was martyred for having caused the Acts of the martyrs to be collected by notaries and deposited in the archives of the Roman Church. While this tradition cannot be dismissed out of hand, most scholars maintain treat it skeptically, since its source, the Liber Pontificalis, is of relatively late date an routinely ascribes to each pope accomplishments that are clearly anacrhonistic.

The site of Anterus' sepulchre was discovered by the Italian archaeologist De Rossi in 1854, with some broken remnants of the Greek epitaph engraved on the narrow oblong slab that covered his tomb. A letter once attributed to him is now dismissed as a later forgery.


Roman Catholic Popes
Preceded by:
Pontian
Bishop of Rome
Pope

235–236
Succeeded by: Fabian

Notes

References
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Anteros


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