Difference between revisions of "Pope Eusebius" - New World Encyclopedia
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'''Pope Saint Eusebius''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Εὐσέβιος'' "pious," from ''eu'' (εὖ) "well" and ''sebein'' (σέβειν) "to respect") was [[pope]] for four months in either 309 or 310. | '''Pope Saint Eusebius''' (from [[Greek language|Greek]] ''Εὐσέβιος'' "pious," from ''eu'' (εὖ) "well" and ''sebein'' (σέβειν) "to respect") was [[pope]] for four months in either 309 or 310. | ||
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Eusebius died in exile in [[Sicily]] and was buried in the cemetery of Calixtus. He is considered as a "confessor" who suffered for the Christian faith, but not a martyr. His feast is on September 26. | Eusebius died in exile in [[Sicily]] and was buried in the cemetery of Calixtus. He is considered as a "confessor" who suffered for the Christian faith, but not a martyr. His feast is on September 26. | ||
==Biography== | ==Biography== | ||
| − | + | The Liber Pontificalis states that Eusebius was a Greek who had previously been a physician. Two versions of the source give his reign as lasting either two or six years. However the ''[[Liberian Catalogue]]'' of the popes gives its duration as only four months, from 18 April to 17 August, 309 or 310. This source is generally considered more authoritative. | |
| + | |||
| + | We learn some details of his career from an large epitaph place on his tomb, which was order under the pontificate of [[Damasus I]] less than half a century later. Even before the tomb's rediscovery, the epitaph had been known through ancient transcripts. A few fragments of the original, as well as with a sixth-century marble copy made to replace the original after its destruction, were found by archaeologist [[Giovanni Battista de Rossi]] in the papal chapel in the [[catacombs of Callixtus]]. The epitaph make it clear that the grave internal dissent caused in the Roman church by the readmittance of the apostates (''lapsi'') who had renounced the faith the persecution of [[Diocletian]] continued under Eusebius. | ||
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| + | The latter maintained the attitude of the Roman Church, adopted after the Decian persecutions (250-51), that the apostates should not be forever debarred from ecclesiastical communion, but on the other hand, should be readmitted only after doing proper penance (Eusebius miseros docuit sua crimina flere). | ||
This view was opposed by a faction of Christians in Rome under the leadership of one Heraclius. Whether the latter and his partisans advocated a more rigorous (Novationist) or a more lenient interpretation of the law has not been ascertained. The latter, however, is by far more probable in the hypothesis that Heraclius was the chief of a party made up of apostates and their followers, who demanded immediate restoration to the body of the Church. Damasus characterizes in very strong terms the conflict which ensued (seditcio, cœdes, bellum, discordia, lites). It is likely that Heraclius and his supporters sought to compel by force their admittance to divine worship, which was resented by the faithful gathered in Rome about Eusebius. In consequence both Eusebius and Heraclius were exiled by Emperor Maxentius. Eusebius, in particular, was deported to Sicily, where he died soon after. Miltiades ascended the papal throne, 2 July, 311. The body of his predecessor was brought back to Rome, probably in 311, and 26 September (according to the "Depositio Episcoporum" in the chronographer of 354) was placed in a separate cubiculum of the Catacomb of Callistus. His firm defense of ecclesiastical discipline and the banishment which he suffered therefor caused him to be venerated as a martyr, and in his epitaph Pope Damasus honours Eusebius with this title. His feast is yet celebrated on 26 September. | This view was opposed by a faction of Christians in Rome under the leadership of one Heraclius. Whether the latter and his partisans advocated a more rigorous (Novationist) or a more lenient interpretation of the law has not been ascertained. The latter, however, is by far more probable in the hypothesis that Heraclius was the chief of a party made up of apostates and their followers, who demanded immediate restoration to the body of the Church. Damasus characterizes in very strong terms the conflict which ensued (seditcio, cœdes, bellum, discordia, lites). It is likely that Heraclius and his supporters sought to compel by force their admittance to divine worship, which was resented by the faithful gathered in Rome about Eusebius. In consequence both Eusebius and Heraclius were exiled by Emperor Maxentius. Eusebius, in particular, was deported to Sicily, where he died soon after. Miltiades ascended the papal throne, 2 July, 311. The body of his predecessor was brought back to Rome, probably in 311, and 26 September (according to the "Depositio Episcoporum" in the chronographer of 354) was placed in a separate cubiculum of the Catacomb of Callistus. His firm defense of ecclesiastical discipline and the banishment which he suffered therefor caused him to be venerated as a martyr, and in his epitaph Pope Damasus honours Eusebius with this title. His feast is yet celebrated on 26 September. | ||
Revision as of 02:59, 17 January 2009
| Saint Eusebius | |
|---|---|
| |
| Birth name | Eusebius |
| Papacy began | April 18, 309 or 310 |
| Papacy ended | August 17, 309 or 310 |
| Predecessor | Marcellus I |
| Successor | Miltiades |
| Born | ??? ??? |
| Died | 310 Sicily, Italy |
Pope Saint Eusebius (from Greek Εὐσέβιος "pious," from eu (εὖ) "well" and sebein (σέβειν) "to respect") was pope for four months in either 309 or 310.
His pontificate was characterized by violent disturbances between rival factions within the Roman church over the question of the terms under which Christians who had denied their faith during the persecutions of Diocletian could be readmitted to communion. His predecessor, Marcellus I, as the leader of the Roman Christians who were disrupting the peace of the city, had been banished when he proved unable to control the situation. After Eusebius fared no better in achieving peace, he was banished by the emperor Maxentius, who had been the ruler of Rome since 306, and had at first shown himself friendly to the Christians.
Eusebius died in exile in Sicily and was buried in the cemetery of Calixtus. He is considered as a "confessor" who suffered for the Christian faith, but not a martyr. His feast is on September 26.
Biography
The Liber Pontificalis states that Eusebius was a Greek who had previously been a physician. Two versions of the source give his reign as lasting either two or six years. However the Liberian Catalogue of the popes gives its duration as only four months, from 18 April to 17 August, 309 or 310. This source is generally considered more authoritative.
We learn some details of his career from an large epitaph place on his tomb, which was order under the pontificate of Damasus I less than half a century later. Even before the tomb's rediscovery, the epitaph had been known through ancient transcripts. A few fragments of the original, as well as with a sixth-century marble copy made to replace the original after its destruction, were found by archaeologist Giovanni Battista de Rossi in the papal chapel in the catacombs of Callixtus. The epitaph make it clear that the grave internal dissent caused in the Roman church by the readmittance of the apostates (lapsi) who had renounced the faith the persecution of Diocletian continued under Eusebius.
The latter maintained the attitude of the Roman Church, adopted after the Decian persecutions (250-51), that the apostates should not be forever debarred from ecclesiastical communion, but on the other hand, should be readmitted only after doing proper penance (Eusebius miseros docuit sua crimina flere).
This view was opposed by a faction of Christians in Rome under the leadership of one Heraclius. Whether the latter and his partisans advocated a more rigorous (Novationist) or a more lenient interpretation of the law has not been ascertained. The latter, however, is by far more probable in the hypothesis that Heraclius was the chief of a party made up of apostates and their followers, who demanded immediate restoration to the body of the Church. Damasus characterizes in very strong terms the conflict which ensued (seditcio, cœdes, bellum, discordia, lites). It is likely that Heraclius and his supporters sought to compel by force their admittance to divine worship, which was resented by the faithful gathered in Rome about Eusebius. In consequence both Eusebius and Heraclius were exiled by Emperor Maxentius. Eusebius, in particular, was deported to Sicily, where he died soon after. Miltiades ascended the papal throne, 2 July, 311. The body of his predecessor was brought back to Rome, probably in 311, and 26 September (according to the "Depositio Episcoporum" in the chronographer of 354) was placed in a separate cubiculum of the Catacomb of Callistus. His firm defense of ecclesiastical discipline and the banishment which he suffered therefor caused him to be venerated as a martyr, and in his epitaph Pope Damasus honours Eusebius with this title. His feast is yet celebrated on 26 September.
Legacy
| Roman Catholic Popes | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by: Marcellus I |
Bishop of Rome Pope 309–310 |
Succeeded by: Miltiades |
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External links
This article includes content derived from the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 1914, which is in the public domain.
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