Difference between revisions of "Pope Cornelius" - New World Encyclopedia
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| − | '''Pope Saint Cornelius''' was [[pope]] from his election | + | '''Pope Saint Cornelius''', also known as '''Cornély ''', was [[pope]] from his election in March 251 to his [[martyr]]dom in June 253. The most prominent feature of his [[papacy]] was the rivalry of the [[antipope]] [[Novatian]], who was elected in opposition to Cornelius' relatively lenient policy in accepting back into the church those who had [[apostasy|apostatized]] during the recent [[persecution]] of Emperor [[Decius]]. |
| − | Cornelius was elected after a vacancy in the office of the bishop of Rome of nearly a year due to the persecution, during which time a controversy had emerged in many churches | + | Cornelius was elected after a vacancy in the office of the [[bishop of Rome]] of nearly a year due to the persecution, during which time a controversy had emerged in many churches regarding how to treat those whose faith had wavered under pressure. Cornelius and his ally, Bishop [[Cyprian of Carthage]], favored a relatively lenient policy, while the respected and scholarly churchman Novatian insisted that only [[God]] could forgive the most serious [[baptism|post-baptismal]] sins. The [[schism]] spread throughout the empire and would last well beyond the deaths of both Cornelius and Novatian as [[martyr]]s. |
| − | Several of Cornelius' letters are preserved, | + | Several of Cornelius' letters are preserved, providing evidence that the Roman church had become a sizable institution by the mid-third century, in addition to many letters to him from Cyprian. The policy toward lapsed Christians adopted by Cornelius with Cyprian's support would set the standard for the [[Catholic theology]] of a "universal" church, being a ministry to lifelong sinners as well as [[saint]]s. He later became a figure of veneration, especially in [[Germany]] and [[France]]. The contemporary feast day of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian is celebrated joint in the Catholic Church on September 16. |
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
Revision as of 17:41, 8 January 2009
| Saint Cornelius | |
|---|---|
| |
| Birth name | Cornelius |
| Papacy began | March 6 or March 13, 251 |
| Papacy ended | June 253 |
| Predecessor | Fabian |
| Successor | Lucius I |
| Born | ??? Rome |
| Died | June 253 Civita Vecchia, Italy |
Pope Saint Cornelius, also known as Cornély , was pope from his election in March 251 to his martyrdom in June 253. The most prominent feature of his papacy was the rivalry of the antipope Novatian, who was elected in opposition to Cornelius' relatively lenient policy in accepting back into the church those who had apostatized during the recent persecution of Emperor Decius.
Cornelius was elected after a vacancy in the office of the bishop of Rome of nearly a year due to the persecution, during which time a controversy had emerged in many churches regarding how to treat those whose faith had wavered under pressure. Cornelius and his ally, Bishop Cyprian of Carthage, favored a relatively lenient policy, while the respected and scholarly churchman Novatian insisted that only God could forgive the most serious post-baptismal sins. The schism spread throughout the empire and would last well beyond the deaths of both Cornelius and Novatian as martyrs.
Several of Cornelius' letters are preserved, providing evidence that the Roman church had become a sizable institution by the mid-third century, in addition to many letters to him from Cyprian. The policy toward lapsed Christians adopted by Cornelius with Cyprian's support would set the standard for the Catholic theology of a "universal" church, being a ministry to lifelong sinners as well as saints. He later became a figure of veneration, especially in Germany and France. The contemporary feast day of Saints Cornelius and Cyprian is celebrated joint in the Catholic Church on September 16.
Biography
According to the Liber Pontificalis, Cornelius was a Roman by birth, and his father's name was Castinus. His predecessor, Fabian, was died, probably in prison, under the persecution by Emperor Decius on January 20, 250. By the beginning of March, 251, however, the persecution slackened, owing to the absence of the emperor, against whom two rivals had arisen.
Decius had targeted leaders of the Roman church, and the seat of the Roman bishop had thus remained vacant for more than a year. Now, under conditions of at least temporary safety, Cornelius was elected pope on either March, 3 or 13 of 250.
The Novatian schism
His election, however, was a contentious one. Ever since the appearance of the first antipope, the future Saint Hippolytus, the Roman church suffered from serious internal divisions over the issue how to deal with serious post-baptismal sins. The recent persecution brought this issue again to the fore, especially as pertained to the sin of apostasy, as those who had compromised their faith in order to save their lives now sought readmission to church.
Cornelius' election was therefore opposed by Novatian, who maintained the view that not even the bishops could grant remission for grave sins such as apostasy, murder, adultery. He held that these could only be remitted at the Last Judgment. Cornelius on the contrary believed that bishops could grant remission for these grave sins.
According to the contemporary writings of Cyprian of Carthage, Cornelius was elected the consent of nearly all the clergy, the people, and of the bishops present (Cyprian, Ep. lv, 8-9). However, this testimony should not be accepted at face value, since Notatian succeeded in having himself elected as well by his own constituency, which included at least three bishops, who consecrated him as pope as well. A man of significant learning who had acted either as archdeacon or secretary for the Roman church, Novatian's schism proved to be a long-lasting one which established congregations in many parts of the empire, and with which not only Cornelius, but several succeeding popes had to contend.
Cyprian reports that 16 bishops were involved in Cornelius election and that Cornelius, out of humility initially resisted their decision. Nevetheless: "by the judgment of God and of Christ, by the testimony of almost all the clergy, by the vote of the people then present, by the consent of aged priests and of good men, at a time when no one had been made before him, when the place of Fabian, that is the place of Peter, and the step of the sacerdotal chair were vacant." (Cyprian, Ep. lv, 24)
Cornelius and Novatian both sent messengers to churches throughout the empire to announce their respective claims. Cornelius' papacy was supported by a synod at Carthage, and Dionysius of Alexandria also took his side. However Cyprian admits that Novatian "assumed the primacy" (Ep. lxix, 8) with some degree of success, sending out his disciples to many cities to set new foundations for his new establishment. He was able command the loyalty of numerous church congregations with both priests and bishops to lead them (Ep. lv, 24). Both rival popes consecrates new bishops where the existing bishop was loyal to their opponent. Among the churches which were known to have developed rival congregations during Cornelius' time were Antioch, Caesarea, Jerusalem, Tyre, Laodicea of Syria, Tarsus, and virtually all of the the churches of Cilicia, Cappadocia, the Syria, Arabia, Mesopotamia, Pontus and Bithynia.
Meanwhile, before the end of 251, Cornelius assembled a council of 60 bishops from Italy or the neighboring islands, in which Novatian was excommunicated. Other bishops who were not present added their signatures, and the entire list of those denouncing Novatian was sent to the principal churches throughout the empire.
Correspondence
Portions of three letters from Cornelius were were preserved by the fourth century church historian Eusebius of Caeasria (Church History VI.43). In these writings, Cornelius details the faults in Novatian's election and conduct with considerable bitterness. The letters also provide important historical information about the Roman church itself. Cornelius claimed that under his administration there were 46 priests, seven deacons, seven subdeacons, 42 acolytes, and various other functionaries. Hew also claimed that the church cared for over 1,500 widows and other persons in distress. On the basis of these figures, some historians have estimated the size of the Roman church at this time to be as large as 50,000, while others believe this figure is much too large.
Two of Cornelius' Cyprian have also come down to us, together with nine from Cyprian to the pope, thus making Cornelius' papacy one of the most well documented in the early chruch. The correspondence with Cyrpian indicate that the pope followed Carthage's lead in sanctioning the relatively mild measures proposed by Cyprian, accepted the decision of the Carthaginian council of 251 to restore to communion those who had turned away from the faith during the Decian persecution.
The letters of Cornelius, to the extent that their original language can be known from existing copies, seem to have been written the colloquial "vulgar-Latin" of the day, while those of Cyprian are in more classical style. The issue of erudition may have proved an advantage to Novatian, who was known as both a philosopher and orator.
Death as a martyr
At the beginning of 252 a new persecution suddenly broke out. Cornelius was exiled to Civita Vecchia. Cyprian, perhaps exaggerating, declared that there were no defections among the Roman Christians. The pope "led his brethren in confession," he says, and "with one heart and one voice the whole Roman church confessed." (Ep. lx, ad Corn.) Cornelius died a martyr in June 252, although it is not clear whether he died as a result of the difficulties of his banishment, or, as in later accounts, by being beheaded.
The close association of Cornelius and Cyprian led to the tradition of the feast of Saint Cyprian being kept at Rome at the tomb of Cornelius.Cornelius was not buried in the chapel of the popes, but in an adjoining catacomb. His inscription reads "Cornelius, Martyr." His feast was for many years kept with that of Saint Cyprian on September 14, which may in fact be the day on which his remains were transferred possibly from his place of death to the catacombs.
Novatian, for his part, fled Rome, but he too eventually seems to have become a martyr. His followers successfully maintain their separate identity for many years.
Legacy
In the Roman Catholic Church today, Saint Cornelius is commemorated along with Cyprian in a memorial on September 16. In iconography, Cornelius’ attribute was the horn, in reference to the Latin origin of his name, from cornu, or “horn.”
Some of his relics were taken to Germany during the Middle Ages; his head was claimed by Kornelimünster Abbey near Aachen. In the Rhineland, he was also a patron saint of lovers.
A legend associated with Cornelius tells of a young artist who was commissioned to decorate the Corneliuskapelle in the Selikum quarter of the city of Neuss, across the Rhine from Düsseldorf. The daughter of a local townsman fell in love with the artist, but her father forbade the marriage, remarking that he would only consent if the pope did as well. Miraculously, the statue of Cornelius leaned forward from the altar and blessed the pair, and the two lovers were thus married.
Cornelius, along with Quirinus of Neuss, Hubertus, and Anthony the Great, was venerated as one of the Four Holy Marshals in the Rhineland during the late Middle Ages. He was also a patron saint of farmers and of cattle, and was invoked against epilepsy, cramps, afflictions associated with the nerves and ears.
A legend told at Carnac on the south coast of Brittany in northwestern France states that its standing stones were once pagan soldiers who had been turned into stone by Cornelius, who was fleeing from them.
| Roman Catholic Popes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Fabian |
Bishop of Rome Pope 251–253 |
Succeeded by: Lucius I |
Notes
ReferencesISBN links support NWE through referral fees
External links
"Pope Cornelius" in the 1913 Catholic Encyclopedia.- Letters of Pope Cornelius I
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